UPS MD-11

mrivc211

mrivc211

Well-Known Member
Yikes...





A UPS United Parcel Service McDonnell Douglas MD-11, registration N293UP performing flight 5X-3 from Hong Kong (China) to Dubai (United Arab Emirates) with 3 crew and 175,500lbs of LiOn batteries as cargo, was enroute at FL320 about 160nm southwest of Yangon (Myanmar) when the crew reported a fire indication on board. The aircraft transponder stopped transmitting. The aircraft turned around, performed an emergency descent and landed safely in Yangon.

Myanmar's Home Ministry reported the aircraft with 3 crew was carrying 175.5 tons (??) of Lithium Ion batteries when it diverted to Yangon due to a fire indication. However, no fire had occurred, emergency services did detect the smell of LiOn batteries however. The pilots were taken to a local hotel.

A listener on frequency reported a MD-11, callsign not understood, performed an emergency descent and diverted to Yangon in a hurry.

The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Yangon about 38 hours after landing.
 
Scary stuff.

Not entirely the LiOn part, the closest diversion was Myanmar....


I used to brief for the type of emergencies that required "land ASAP" in the Hawk, we'd access and limp as close to friendly lines as possible.
Dealing with an onboard fire might be more desirable than say land somewhere where they are known to set you on fire...
 
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Nark said:
Scary stuff.

Not entirely the LiOn part, the closest diversion was Myanmar....


I used to brief for the type of emergencies that required "land ASAP" in the Hawk, we'd asses and limp as close to friendly lines as possible.
Dealing with an onboard fire might be more desirable than say land somewhere where they are known to set you on fire...
Click to expand...

6A3F88B4-4DB1-4568-8196-E379B477129A.jpeg
:)
 
Nark said:
In case you were confused, or forgetful, I am a Blackhawk pilot. Ney: a Blackhawk Aviator.
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Might I recommend changing the status under your screen name to reflect that? It would save you some typing.

My eye roll is because the purpose of your post was either to infer that dealing with an inflight fire is preferable to diverting into Myanmar or simply to post an only somewhat related “so there I was” story.
 
I’ll divert to Mogadishu, Kabul, or hell even North Korea if I’m carrying a boatload of LiOn batts and I get a fire indication. I’m getting the airplane on the ground and I’ll deal with the “destination” after I egress from the airplane. I will not end up like those poor UPS pilots.
 
z987k said:
You might want to visit it sometime to find out how wrong you are.
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Baghdad has pretty sunsets too.

You know, the google search function is free to you too.

You and I have entirely different view points on "safety."

200+ dead in a riot. Entire neighborhoods burned down. Okay, you win; I'm just misinformed.
 
Nark said:
Baghdad has pretty sunsets too.

You know, the google search function is free to you too.

You and I have entirely different view points on "safety."

200+ dead in a riot. Entire neighborhoods burned down. Okay, you win; I'm just misinformed.
Click to expand...

I wonder if two dead UPS 74 pilots would in hindsight agree that overflying a suitable runway in a battery fire was a good idea? Pretty sure they’d take any strip of pavement in the sandbox, destination be damned if they had a re-do.
 
Nark said:
Baghdad has pretty sunsets too.

You know, the google search function is free to you too.

You and I have entirely different view points on "safety."

200+ dead in a riot. Entire neighborhoods burned down. Okay, you win; I'm just misinformed.
Click to expand...

But at least two UPS pilots still alive.

Yes. You are wrong. But at lest you had a chance to pull your weenus out and show it to everyone. So there’s that.
 
jhugz said:
I’ll divert to Mogadishu, Kabul, or hell even North Korea if I’m carrying a boatload of LiOn batts and I get a fire indication. I’m getting the airplane on the ground and I’ll deal with the “destination” after I egress from the airplane. I will not end up like those poor UPS pilots.
Click to expand...
Is Mogadishu better than it was back in 93 or is the Bakara market still the wild west?
 
DE727UPS said:
Li on cargo cutout. They want you to see nothing here and move along.

That said, I heard it was smoke caused by a failed equip cooling fan. This time...
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Do UPS MD-11s (and 747s) have the same cargo fire suppression system the FedEx MDs have? Photos from our last CFR fam training on the MDs for my crew.

image.jpeg
image.jpeg
image.jpeg
 
MikeD said:
Do UPS MD-11s (and 747s) have the same cargo fire suppression system the FedEx MDs have? Photos from our last CFR fam training on the MDs for my crew.

View attachment 42221View attachment 42222View attachment 42223
Click to expand...

I can’t speak for UPS or the MD, but I can tell you that on the main deck of a 747F, an airline with a nude guy holding a beach ball on the tail has absolutely no fire suppression. Depressurization to 25,000 ft and hope for the best.
 
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