A350's Engines Fail Because of Coffee Spill ☕

In 2019 and 2020, two Airbus A350 aircraft experienced uncommanded in-flight engine shut downs after somebody spilled coffee or tea on the flight deck. This is the story how the pilots of these flight handled these emergencies. Both flights were able to perform a diversion and landing at alternate airports. The EASA issued multiple emergency airworthiness directives and Airbus fixed the problem.

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A350: Engines Shut Down Because of Coffee Spill

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Music:
Epidemic Sounds

Visuals:
MSFS2020
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Airbus

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[Trevor_Austin]

This has been a problem for years. In an F27 you could get the de-icing boot timer/control panel top really fizz with coke, water (they always leaked) or coffee. Fokker 100’s and 70’s would show the most amazing parameters on the ECAM with one tea and sugar and Embraers really get their knickers in a twist in just cold humid conditions. You don’t even need to apply coffee or cola. This has been a known problem for only 30 years.

[Dracogame]

Lmao a classic. People spill beverages and be like "if I can't see it it's not broken". People working in IT are used to hear this excuse: "dunno, just stopped working", then you open the PC up and the smell of coffee fills the entire department lmao.

[saideepakchurya]

Birds, Lightning, Storms : We cant bring down this plane.
Coffee: Fine, let me do it myself

[hayleyxyz]

The idea both engines could've been shut down from a liquid spill is scary, and very lucky that it didn't happen in either case

[joannegaughan]

WOW! Thought this problem would have been considered and dealt with long ago. People have been spilling their drinks into electronics since, well the birth of electronics, to their detriment and the cringing of the poor people who have to fix the problem. Glad human clumsiness didn't bring down those planes. Great video. Well done. Really wasn't aware the human factor did not enter into the design of the electronics in this day and age. 👍❤🇺🇸

[tommywiseau_]

such a little thing, could be a disaster. props for identifying the problem and fixing it.

[bigcarle]

A 1964 B/W film called "Fate is the Hunter" with Glenn Ford the movie had an aircraft crash that was found out to be exactly that, a cup of coffee interfering with engine management

[OZBarStories]

I am former cabin crew and this is why when we bring them drinks we give pilots coffee with a lid

[robertzeurunkl]

Oh come on. A "no liquid zone" over the panel? Even if the pilots do not put coffee near it, one good bout of air turbulence, and a 20 oz mug of coffee could be anywhere in that cockpit.

[hauntedshadowslegacy]

Multi-million-dollar, state-of-the-art modern marvel
VS
One beany boi

[racerwr]

I kinda think that if an automobile does have switches that are very good at repelling liquid an aircraft should have that kind of standard in its switch gear.

[californiahiker]

This is almost laughable. Somebody screwed up royally, and it wasn’t the pilot. With all the fancy redundancies all through the aircraft they didn’t make the consoles spill proof? I would expect any self respecting pilot to have coffee, tea, or whatever drink during their flight. Being well hydrated while traveling is super important. Spills can happen, they’re in a plane going at humongous speeds, and it’s not always a smooth ride. The engineers/ designers who create such wonderfully complicated marvels probably forgot to drink their coffee the day this little detail skipped by them. 🤯

[billsixx]

I've designed these center console panels and switches for Boeing and MDC for years. Two of the common tests are: 1) Coffee Spill Test and 2) High Heel Test. The Coffee test involves dumping 8 oz of hot coffee with 4 creamers and 4 packets of sugar over the switches then oven bake until dry. All switches and indicators must fully function afterwards. The High Heel Test involves smashing the switches, panels and indicators with 150 lbs load on a 1/4" square test probe. This simulates a stewardess walking on the center console in high heel shoes as she maneuvers her way to "assist" the pilot. All switches and indicators must fully function afterwards. Obviously, the EU/AirBus didn't have the same level of foresight.

[lanceleavitt]

Sometimes an aircraft will spill your coffee for you, even if you're holding the cup in your hand.
I support making the pedestal waterproof.

[peteconrad]

Reminds me of a story from an FE when I started flying. Captain was adjusting the throttles (747-200) while smoking. Captains cigarette dropped down the gap in the throttle quadrant. FE leans over, looks down the quadrant gap and puts a little tea in after it. All is well.

[samik]

Would think after building aircraft for decades, this would be something they already adressed in the early days. Pretty sure captains around the world spill coffee all the time when flying.

[jonbroadsword]

Don't know if anybody else pointed this out, but this is the premise of the movie "Fate is the Hunter" (1964). Glenn Ford is trying to figure out why the cockpit crew of an airliner shut down their remaining good engine, causing them to crash into a pier on a beach during the emergency landing.

SPOILER ALERT: The only survivor, a flight attendant (Susan Pleshette), brings Ford a cup of coffee during a flight to reconstruct the actions of the crew. The coffee leaks through the paper cup leading to an electrical short which causes a false engine fire warning -- forcing Ford to shut down first one, then the other engine.

[bc-guy]

Even some supercars have ridiculous coffee cup holders. But I agree with you - one would hope designers would accommodate pilots for LONG flights with a more ergonomic 'office' as well as the obvious IP67 rated pedestal switches. (Even cell phones and earbuds have that standard or better today.)

[dmreturns]

Apparently "weather" also happens inside the cockpit.

[ianbruce]

This is nearly identical to what brought down the airliner in the 1964 movie “Fate is the Hunter”. You can find it on YouTube. Well worth a look.