IA - Vapor forces plane to land at D.M. airport

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IA - Vapor forces plane to land at D.M. airport By APRIL GOODWIN Register Staff Writer 02/10/2001

A United Airlines flight carrying 96 passengers was forced to land at the Des Moines airport on Friday when a vapor filled the cockpit and cabin.

The culprit was a chunk of ice that got into the Boeing 727's air vent, causing an overheating problem and an odor within the cabin, said Michael Audino, airport spokesman. The flight was canceled.

United officials declined to comment.

Passengers aboard Flight 418 from Des Moines to Chicago said the experience was frightening but, after four hours on the runway, almost comical.

The flight was scheduled to leave at 9:15 a.m. Maintenance workers de-iced the plane three times, lost power three times and forgot to load the luggage once, so the takeoff was delayed until about 1 p.m.

During takeoff, several passengers clapped wildly, passengers said. Minutes later, they noticed that a burning smell and a chemical stench filled the cabin.

Over the intercom, pilots explained that they "were aware of the atmosphere in the cabin but there was no indication of fire," said passenger Larry Jackson, of Fort Wayne, Ind. Jackson said dozens of passengers started pushing the call buttons as the cabin started filling with smoke, "as if the stewardesses didn't notice."

"It wasn't that bad," he said. "But an odor is definitely enough to make you nervous."

Sally Crowley of West Des Moines was nervous. The daughter of a pilot, she thought she had been through it all - even a lost hydraulic system.

"But this was more extreme than anything I've seen," she said. "There was a little white vapor in the air and my heart was pounding out of my chest. I can imagine there were lots of prayers going at the window at that moment."

Darlene Hunt of Perry and her daughter, Rhonda Cataldo of Des Moines, were on their way to Uruguay. The two spent hours on the runway Thursday night and then four more there Friday.

"It's like the Cataldo National Lampoon's trip to Uruguay," Cataldo said.

Audino said the airport was closed Friday from 2 to 3 p.m. because of limited visibility and runway conditions.

http://www.dmregister.com/news/stories/c4788998/13763074.html

-- Doris (nocents@bellsouth.net), February 11, 2001

Answers

That little white vapour could be from depressurization. There have been many postings on this board about pressurization problems.

-- David Williams (DAVIDWILL@prodigy.net), February 11, 2001.

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