Plane catches fire, but pilot hesitates to speak up? TransAsia Airways: All procedures were followed as per standards

By reporter Zhu t?幔?ū北ǖ技/p>

TransAsia Airways' flight safety hits another snag. On the afternoon of May 2 last year, TransAsia Airways flight GE515 (hereinafter referred to as TransAsia), flying from Taipei to Magong, was forced to turn back 10 minutes after takeoff due to an engine fire alarm. During the return, the flight also received three stall warnings, but at the time, it was only reported as an abnormal engine signal. The Aviation Safety Council released its latest investigation report on the 20th, stating that the pilots’ handling procedures were inadequate and issued 17 aviation safety improvement recommendations to the relevant authorities.

At the time, the scheduled passenger flight GE515 was carrying 2 flight crew members, 2 cabin crew members, and 72 passengers, totaling 76 people. When the aircraft climbed past approximately 5,500 feet, the engine oil warning light flashed, the oil pressure gauge fluctuated, and then an engine fire warning appeared. According to the Aviation Safety Council report, the flight crew executed the fire extinguishing procedure within 3 minutes and 19 seconds. The captain followed standard procedures to return to Taipei Songshan Airport, but during the return, did not mention the engine fire nor declare an emergency, preventing air traffic controllers from fully understanding the situation of the aircraft, which hindered judgment, planning, and assistance.

▲%蓟?硐孪湫徒峁埂⒄?髡衷苋人皎上图)；机翼下箱型结构整流罩火烧痕迹及吊架遭受热损(下图)。(图／截自飞安会事实资料报告)

The Aviation Safety Council’s accident investigation report released on the 20th pointed out that the fire was caused by a left engine blade breaking due to manufacturing flaws, which then struck repeatedly inside the turbine, resulting in a fuel line rupture and causing the fire. However, the pilots on board, possibly concerned about the impact on the company, did not report the fire to the control tower. They only informed air traffic control of a “mechanical issue” requiring a return, without declaring an emergency or informing that the aircraft was operating on a single engine. This revealed deficiencies in their handling procedures.

TransAsia Airways’ Public Relations Office issued a press release on the 21st to clarify that at the time of the incident, the TransAsia captain immediately handled the situation according to standard procedures, ensuring the safety of all passengers and achieving a safe return of both passengers and aircraft to Taipei. Regarding the one fatality, the airline also proactively reported to the Civil Aeronautics Administration immediately, cooperated with the CAA and the Aviation Safety Council in the investigation, and there was no intention to conceal any information. After the incident, the pilots were temporarily grounded to assist with the investigation and underwent additional training and examination assessments before being reinstated. All aviation safety improvement recommendations required by the regulatory authorities have been fully implemented.