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The captain of an A380 that experienced an uncontained engine failure, paying air traffic controllers during a shutdown, a $10,000 bonus for those who worked, NTSB preliminary report on UPS Flight 2976, a request for information on a new ATC system, dressing better when flying commercially, and going through airport security without a Real ID.
Richard De Crespigny was the captain of Qantas Flight QF32 on November 4, 2010, when one of the plane’s Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines experienced an uncontained engine failure. The A380 had just taken off from Singapore. Richard and his crew managed to get everyone home safely, and the story has since become a bit of a legend in Australian flying circles. Richard is a former RAAF pilot, has written books, given keynotes around the world, and now hosts his own podcast on resilience and leadership called FLY!
Richard explains that the uncontained engine failure on Qantas Flight QF32 involved the Number 2 engine. This resulted in extensive damage to the aircraft and many system failures. Five pilots were in the cockpit, and they formed a “hive mind,” making hundreds of decisions to stabilize the aircraft, which took two hours. A hundred checklists were actioned in the air, and more when the A380 was back on the ground. The incident was so complex that it has been characterized as “Apollo 13 with passengers.”
We learn what was said in the cockpit during the first 30 seconds, and how the cabin crew performed because the flight deck could not communicate with them. In his mind, Richard set up to perform an “Armstrong Spiral” in case all four engines went out when landing the plane. On approach, speed and stall warnings were sounding constantly because the systems could not handle all the damage. Richard explains why he decided not to immediately evacuate the passengers due to the dangers outside.
This uncontained engine failure crippled the A380, yet the crew was able to manage the situation and there were no injuries. Richard speaks frequently of “resilience” and how that characteristic worked to their advantage.
Since the incident, Richard has published several books: QF32 tells the story of what happened. It was published before the investigators made all the facts public, so Richard had to hold back. However, a new edition will fill in the missing pieces. The newer book Fly! tells the how and the why.
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