HELP NEEDED: Looking for Official Info of Delta Flight Incident in October '09

[charchar]

I was on Delta flight #0101 from ATL to Buenos Aires (EZE) on Tuesday October 13, 2009 when serious problems beset my plane approx 45 minutes out of Atlanta. We had to turn around and come back and had a harrowing descent and landing. I actually thought we were going to crash for various reasons, including that the insturments/lights/air conditioning etc. had gone out, we were dumping fuel, and the plane felt completely out of control and was bobbing and weaving. When we landed there were at least 8 fire trucks waiting for us. It was incredibly scary. I have searched the internet in vain for any sort of official record of this incident but cannot find it.

Where do you guys find information about flight incidents? Do you have any resources to recommend? Thanks!

[kea001]

Incident: Delta Airlines B763 near Atlanta on Oct 13th 2009, odour prompts return

A Delta Airlines Boeing 767-300, flight DL-101 from Atlanta,GA to Buenos Aires,BA (Argentine), was enroute at FL310 about 120nm south of Atlanta 30 minutes into the flight, when the crew reported smoke in the cabin and decided to return to Atlanta. The airplane landed safely in Atlanta about 20 minutes later.

A replacement Boeing 767-300 registration N154DL reached Buenos Aires with a delay of 5 hours.

Passengers on board reported, that following a normal departure - dinner service was just about to commence - the cabin went dark, the inflight entertainment system stopped working and just the emergency lights at the floor illuminated about 30 minutes into the flight. A flight attendant was observed reporting "smoke in the cabin" via phone obviously to the flight deck. Other flight attendants later claimed when asked, however, that the passenger had misheard and there was no mention of smoke. The airplane turned around and started to descend in a hurry, when the captain announced they had experienced an electrical failure and needed to return to Atlanta. The passengers and cabin were prepared for an emergency landing, however no brace position was ordered. The airplane landed safely and stopped on the runway to have the brakes inspected, a lot of emergency services surrounded the airplane. Later the captain told the passengers in private talks, that he viewed the events similiar to Swissair flight 111 (editorial note: which crashed near Halifax, Canada on Sep 2nd 1998 following an electrical short circuit igniting insulation material) mentioning Swissair several times and he added the incident would certainly make the headlines in all US newspapers. Delta Airlines and the FAA did not respond to the passengers' inquiries over the next month, when they tried to clarify what had really happened.

The NTSB told The Aviation Herald, that an unusual odour was detected on board which prompted the crew to return to Atlanta. Maintenance identified a problem in the air conditioning system, serviced the system and returned the airplane to service. The occurrence is not reportable to the NTSB and is therefore not being investigated by the NTSB, the FAA may however conduct their own investigation.

The Aviation Herald did not receive any replies from Delta Airlines and the FAA within 24 hours after sending inquiries.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL101/history/20091014/0055Z/KATL/SAEZ


http://www.avherald.com/h?article=4230992c&opt=1


There is also an interesting discussion on this thread regarding the passengers 'right to know' about circumstances in an emergency.

Perhaps this one, from a captain (not the captain from this flight), puts the crews' rationale into perspective:

DL 101/Nov 13,2009
By Fritz Bauer on Wednesday, Nov 25th 2009 16:23Z

After the accident of Swissair 111 we talked among colleagues and decided: "Smoke of unknown source in cabin or cockpit has to be regarded as severe emergency followed by immediate emergency descent and landing at next suitable field", (whatever ompany regulations or ANYONE ELSE think they have to say to that). Especially since they re-performed the scenario on the simulator with the result that those 220-odd people would still be alive if they had done just that. Going through lengthy procedures as prescribed in the checklist ("Smoke of unknown source" is nonsense).

I lie to the passengers as much as I deem necessary to avoid a bloody riot in the cabin on top of the technical problems I'm fighting against.

If they think they have a right to know (especially things they havent't got a clue of), I just disagree. My task is to get them (AND MYSELF)savely (sic) down onto the ground. After that we can talk. If THEY disagree they overestimate themselves, it'the pilots who are flying the thing.
Fritz

Fritz is right
By Leo on Sunday, Nov 29th 2009 08:50Z

A perspective from a lay but interested passenger for you pros out there: I agree with Fritz. In an emergency, as much as I'd like to know what is going on, I prefer having the crew 100% focused on troubleshooting and getting us safely on the ground. If a fib is involved I have no problem with that. I can always come to avherald for the details after we make it safely to the ground.


Swissair 111
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swissair_Flight_111


Oh yeah one more thing charchar. Nice to meet you and consider yourself blessed.

[JetScan1]

enter DL76L091632 in the Operator Control # box

http://av-info.faa.gov/sdrx/Query.aspx

ON CLIMB OUT RECEIVED RT ADF FLAG WITH FUMES IN COCKPIT.  F/O HSI ALSO LOST COLOR AND FLICKERED.  ALSO RECEIVED CABIN  AUTO INOP 1 AND 2. STILL TROUBLE AT THIS TIME.  THE ODOR HAS GONE AWAY AT THIS TIME.  CHECKED BEHIND P11 AND P6 CB PANELS-NTF.  REMOVED AND REPLACED BOTH AC MOTORS ON THE FWD OTFL VALVE.  REMOVED AND REPLACED RT ADF XCVR / REMOVED AND REPLACED RT EHSI (HOT), AIRFLOW CHECKS GOOD.  RAN BOTH ENGS AT HI PWR WITH PACKS OFF AND ON FOR 5 MINS WITH NO EVENTS.  ALSO CHECKS CONNECTORS AT INDICATORS AND XCVR -ALL NTF  ETOPS CATEGORY 'B': DIVERSION OR TURNBACK.

[kea001]

enter DL76L091632 in the Operator Control # box

Sweet.

[charchar]

Thank you very much kea001 and JetScan1. I am impressed at what you turned up! I fly approximately every two weeks for work and never have I experienced anything even close to this level of fear. However, I would like to clarify for the record that in no way am I questioning the captain or crew's response to the events on the flight. They did a fantastic job.

Thank you for your assistance!

[kea001]

Actually I'm of the opinion that the passenger does have the right to know.

Perhaps a simple chart, like that of the terror alert system, would be prudent


Light Green - No need to worry, go back to your inflight video
Dark Green - No need to worry, sorry but no inflight video
Yellow - You can worry but it won't do you any good. We've gone to manual systems.
Orange - You better damn well worry. This thing has a mind of its own.
Red - O.k. Put down your books, write your will, perhaps a last note to your loved ones that may be found once search crews start combing through the wreckage.

NO SHOUTING, SCREAMING, OR GENERAL MAYHEM WILL BE TOLERATED. KEEP TO YOURSELVES. BUCKLE UP AND SHUT UP! 

[delta092b]

Actually I'm of the opinion that the passenger does have the right to know.

Perhaps a simple chart, like that of the terror alert system, would be prudent


Light Green - No need to worry, go back to your inflight video
Dark Green - No need to worry, sorry but no inflight video
Yellow - You can worry but it won't do you any good. We've gone to manual systems.
Orange - You better damn well worry. This thing has a mind of its own.
Red - O.k. Put down your books, write your will, perhaps a last note to your loved ones that may be found once search crews start combing through the wreckage.

NO SHOUTING, SCREAMING, OR GENERAL MAYHEM WILL BE TOLERATED. KEEP TO YOURSELVES. BUCKLE UP AND SHUT UP! 

You  mean something like this: