E145, vicinity Manchester UK, 2001

E145, vicinity Manchester UK, 2001

Summary

On 25 September 2001, an Embraer 145 in descent to Manchester sustained a low power lightning strike which was followed, within a few seconds, by the left engine stopping without failure annunciation. A successful single engine landing followed. The Investigation concluded that the cause of failure of the FADEC-controlled AE3007 engine (which has no surge recovery logic) was the aero-thermal effects of the strike to which all aircraft with relatively small diameter fuselages and close mounted engines are vulnerable. It was considered that there was a risk of simultaneous double engine flameout in such circumstances which was impossible to quantify.

Description

On 25 September 2001 one of the two Allison AE 3007/A1/1 engines on an Embraer EMB-145EP (G-RJXG) on a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Aberdeen to Manchester in day Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) and descending through FL70 flamed out immediately following a lightning strike. A MAYDAY was declared and the aircraft subsequently completed an uneventful single engine approach and landing at its destination.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the UK AAIB supported by FDR data. It was noted that the 42 year-old aircraft Captain, who was PF for the incident flight, had 905 hours flying experience on the aircraft type out of 8919 hours in total.

It was found that the lightning strike had occurred when there were only "weak returns of cumulonimbus cloud activity" which had been avoided by manoeuvring the aircraft proactively and primarily visually. The context and likely nature of the incident lightning strike was assessed using remote sensing evidence of strikes in the general area and it was concluded that it was most likely to have been of relatively low power and of cloud to ground origin.

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