big scare for 172 passengers

This text corresponds to part of the transcription of the report above. Click on the video to watch it in full.

Behind the window, flames photographed by a stunned passenger. Anguished scene, Saturday evening at an altitude of 12,000 meters for 172 customers and six crew members of an Air France flight to Corsica. “I was with my father on the plane, we said to each other: ‘Well, if the plane crashes, two of us will leave at the same time’. The plane was full, there were a lot of people and I can guarantee you that the anxiety lasted 30 minutes”explains Charlotte Césari, one of the passengers.

Saturday December 20 at Orly, the aircraft takes off normally, it is 5:21 p.m. It is due to land in Ajaccio at 6:50 p.m., but it is diverted to Lyon (Rhône). Emergency landing at 6:26 p.m. “We first heard a light noise and then like a suitcase falling, and the whole plane started to shake, but very, very loudly. We were starting to get scared.”indicates another passenger.

So what happened? When asked, the company mentioned, I quote: “An engine pumping problem”. Clearly, the air no longer circulates correctly inside the reactor, which can cause sparks or even flames, according to specialists. “We can have an accumulation inside the engine of gasoline which will finally come out in spurts. And these jerks will make noise and sometimes the gasoline which has accumulated will catch fire again at the rear”explains Xavier Tytelman, aeronautical and defense consultant.

In a press release published on Sunday, Air France wants to be reassuring: “Engine pumping is a known and controlled event. Crews undergo regular training several times a year to manage this type of event”. The aircraft therefore landed in Lyon without incident with just one engine. The incident did not cause any injuries.