Life in the Air: Hot or Not?

When it comes to a fire or a potential fire onboard, take the conservative route.

Wednesday, December 29, 2021 at 12:06 PM ET

Verified

An unknown smell that could have been a potential fire caused Sam Weigel to call on an important lesson. [Credit: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

A routine flight became an emergency diversion when pilots responded to reports of a strong electrical burning smell in the aft galley, initiating non-normal checklists.
The pilots navigated the critical balance between caution and overreaction, ultimately deciding to divert to the nearest suitable airport due to the ambiguous nature of the potential electrical fire.
The crew's conservative decision to declare an emergency, despite the lack of visible smoke and subsequent inconveniences, was validated as the correct course of action given the unconfirmed status of the hazard.
The experience underscored the vital role of pilot judgment, experience, and effective crew resource management in making safe decisions during uncertain inflight emergencies.

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It was a beautiful morning at the beginning of June, and as we leveled off at our cruise altitude of FL 340 and settled in for the four-hour flight, it had every appearance of being a nice, easy day flying the line. We had only two legs, from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Cancun, Mexico, and back. The weather was good on both ends and most points en route. The late-model Boeing B737-900ER had no write-ups or maintenance carryovers. Our crew of veteran flight attendants were pleasant and professional. I’d flown several prior trips with the first officer, Ryan, and we got along and worked well together. I sighed contentedly and slightly reclined my seat, gazing out over the Chesapeake Bay sliding under my side window.

Ding!