- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
- Click here to share on LinkedIn (Opens in a new window)
- Click to email a friend (Opens in a new window)
(CNN) - A transatlantic flight was forced to divert to the Republic of Ireland because a pilot spilled a cup of coffee on the controls of the plane.
According to the Air Accident Investigation Division, Airbus A33-243, operated by Condor, was traveling from Frankfurt in Germany to Cancun in Mexico on February 6 when he was forced to throw fuel and divert to the airport in Shannon, Ireland.
To the 49-year-old pilot, who has more than 13,000 hours of flight experience, the cabin crew had given him a cup of coffee without a lid and accidentally flipped it when the plane was flying over the North Atlantic Ocean, with 11 crew members and 326 passengers .
Some of the liquid was spilled on the audio control panel, which became very hot and produced smoke and a burning smell. The damage caused "significant communication difficulties for the flight crew" and forced them to wear oxygen masks, according to the report.
The team became so hot that one of the buttons on the control panel began to melt, which caused the pilot to deflect.
The Air Accident Investigation Branch said there were no injuries and that the airline has changed its procedures since then to ensure that covers for cups are provided for flights on all routes.
LOOK : The mysterious disappearance of Flight 19
"The operator also issued a flight crew warning reminding pilots to be careful with liquids," he said.
A Condor spokesman, part of the Thomas Cook Group, told CNN in a statement: “Flight DE2116 from Frankfurt to Cancun on February 6, 2019, was diverted to Shannon Airport as a precaution due to a small amount of smoke in the cabin after a liquid spill. ”
READ : How much coffee is too much coffee?
“After the aircraft was completely inspected and repaired by our team of engineers, the flight continued through Manchester due to the legal hours of operation of the crew. As safety is always our top priority, we have thoroughly investigated this incident and reviewed the procedures for liquids in the cabin. Our teams were reminded of careful handling and the use of appropriate containers for your water or coffee. We apologize for any inconvenience that the diversion may have caused to our customers. ”
Flight
