Cockpit Smoke

Editorial Staff

Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 01:35 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

An otherwise routine night flight turned critical when the cockpit rapidly filled with dense smoke from an engine oil seal failure, severely obscuring all visibility.
The highly trained and proficient crew effectively responded by donning oxygen, quickly shutting off bleed air to stop smoke ingress, declaring an emergency, and executing a rapid, coordinated descent and landing.
The successful outcome was attributed to extensive training (including blind cockpit drills), standardized procedures, effective Crew Resource Management, and the PIC's detailed knowledge of the local terrain, though elements of luck were also acknowledged.
The incident highlighted lessons learned regarding different smoke types, the need for continuous practice with emergency equipment, and the recommendation for advanced vision systems like EVAS to minimize reliance on favorable circumstances.

See a mistake? Contact us.

This was an otherwise-routine, night VFR mission, and a proficiency flight for the SIC, who was serving as pilot at the controls (PAC). At 2345 local time and after approximately three hours on station at 24,000 feet msl about 20 miles east of the airfield, the PIC, in the right seat and the pilot not flying (PNF), saw a two-to-three-foot-high vertical wall of thick gray smoke enter the cockpit between his right shoulder and the right cockpit window. The entire cockpit was engulfed in this smoke after approximately five to eight seconds. Neither pilot could see any visible reference outside or inside the cockpit. None of the flight instruments or navigation devices were visible.

The crewman in the rear of the cabin was standing at the time, adjusting some equipment, and noticed the smoke exiting the cockpit and beginning to fill the cabin. Upon seeing the smoke, he returned to his seat and donned his oxygen breathing system.