757 engine failure LIH-PHX

[PHL]

http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/20130417phoenix-sky-harbor-airport-hawaii-flight-lands-safely-abrk.html


Question:
If the plane had lost its engine out over the Pacific, roughly half way between HI and the US West coast, how does that impact the time to get to a point of landing, considering the likely altitude and speed reduction required to fly on one engine. If it had been at a point that the West coast was closer than turning around to HI, what airport would be the likely point of landing (assuming they don't continue to PHX)?

I'm just curious about what kind of preflight decisions are made to account for this rare, but possible, incident.

 

[700UW]

I believe the 757s are 180 minutes etops, so they would have to be within three hours of land.

And a decision would be made to get to land as fast as possible with one engine, and logistics play a part too.

 

[blue collar]

Yes, they are 180 ETOPS.

 

[jimntx]

Kudos to the cockpit crew and your operations people. The plane landed safely at its destination. Better for US Airways, better for the passengers than if they had to land at LAX or turn back to LIH.

 

[autofixer]

They must have been close to PHX if the article is correct and they landed in PHX, as you must land at the nearest "suitable" airport. As far as being over the Pacific or Atlantic, there is an "equal time point" that is calculated and charted. If there is an issue prior to the ETP, you return to your ETOPs alternate (This may or may not be your departure airport) if you are beyond the ETP you proceed to your next ETOPs alternate. Over the Atlantic, we are typically 120 minute rules, thus we calculate 2 ETPs with 3 ETOP alternates. The reason that 120 minute rules are used versus 180 minutes is it allows for more items to be on MEL. The Pacific is always 180 minute rules.

Job well done to the crew.

 

[dash8roa]

Heading eastbound is better than westbound and the head winds.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

Not that we will find out from the idiot reporter (who thinks that 757 can hold nearly 300 pax), but it would good to know if the engine actually failed or was shut down by the crew (oil leak?) I imagine it happened once the flight was "feet day" or it would gone to LAX or SAN. Either way, I would think it is a reportable ETOPS incident (not that they occur very often).

http://www.gcmap.com...=mi&E=120&E=180

 

[nycbusdriver]

Not that we will find out from the idiot reporter (who thinks that 757 can hold nearly 300 pax), but it would good to know if the engine actually failed or was shut down by the crew (oil leak?) I imagine it happened once the flight was "feet day" or it would gone to LAX or SAN. Either way, I would think it is a reportable ETOPS incident (not that they occur very often).

http://www.gcmap.com...=mi&E=120&E=180

"feet day" really means "feet dry."

"Gee, I love that that kinda talk." --- Ensign Parker

Loss of an engine means immediate diversion to the nearest suitable airport. "Feet dry" make no difference. If the engine is lost, or shut down, over LAX on the way to PHX (which would be "feet dry"), the airplane still has to be landed in LAX assuming it is suitable. Just because it has coasted in, it cannot proceed to its destination on one engine.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

"feet day" really means "feet dry."

"Gee, I love that that kinda talk." --- Ensign Parker

Thanks for catching my rather stupid typo!! :0