A320, en route, Eastern Mediterranean, 2016

A320, en route, Eastern Mediterranean, 2016

Summary

On 19 May 2016, fire broke out on board an Airbus A320 en route to Cairo at night. The fire spread rapidly from the forward area of the aircraft and rapidly intensified. Loss of control due to conditions on the flight deck resulted in descent and sea impact with all 66 occupants killed. Work for the Investigation (reproduced in the final report) which identified a leak from the flight crew emergency oxygen system as the fire source was eventually discounted. It was concluded that the origin was activation of explosive materials in the forward galley just behind the flight deck.

Description

On 19 May 2016, an Airbus A320 (SU-GCC) operated by Egypt Air on a scheduled international passenger flight from Paris (Charles de Gaulle Airport) to Cairo as MSR 804 was in cruise at FL370 at night with the first officer acting as pilot flying (PF) and communicating with ATC. At this time, the captain was “resting in his seat." One of the cabin crew was occupying the supernumerary crew seat located immediately behind the first officer’s seat. Fire was called in the flight deck after apparently beginning in the forward galley immediately behind the right-hand side of the flight deck. Fire and smoke spread rapidly and the flight crew were unable to retain control. The aircraft crashed into the sea and was destroyed, which resulted in all occupants - 6 crew members and 60 passengers - being killed.

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