Emergency Landing: British Airways Flight Returns to Cape Town Amid Cockpit Smoke Incident
A British Airways flight en route from Cape Town to London Heathrow was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff due to smoke detected in the cockpit. The incident occurred on August 6, 2024, when the pilots of the Boeing 777-200 aircraft noticed smoke and an unusual odor in the flight deck, prompting an immediate return to Cape Town International Airport.
Flight BA58, carrying 172 passengers and 16 crew members, had been airborne for less than an hour when the issue was identified. The crew declared a full emergency and followed standard safety protocols, descending quickly and alerting airport emergency services. Passengers reported calm but tense moments as the cabin crew informed them of a technical issue.
Emergency vehicles were positioned on the runway when the plane landed safely without further complications.
Subsequent investigations by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) identified the source of the incident as a failure in the Air Cycle Machine (ACM) unit 2, part of the aircraft’s Air Generation Unit 1. The failure was attributed to fretting observed on the turbine end journal bearing, likely the source of the acrid smell. Damage to other components, including the fan end journal bearing, thrust bearings, compressor rotor, and turbine rotors, contributed to the stoppage of the rotating system.
This incident underscores the critical importance of prompt and decisive action by flight crews in response to in-flight anomalies. The successful handling of the emergency by the BA56 crew ensured the safety of all 429 passengers and 24 crew members on b
oard.