Fun fact: this a/c, N306FE, was the same a/c involved in the FDX705 incident from 1994 when Auburn R. Calloway attacked the flight crew with hammers and other blunt objects. As of November, 2022 it appears to still be at work for FedEx.
Wow, fascinating observation! I just rewatched the Mayday recreation of that a couple of days ago, amazing that the maneuvers that were done on that day left the aircraft fit to fly over a quarter century later!
Some historic accidents have occurred from pilots not taking fire indications seriously or acting too late. So it was nice to see them take this one seriously and not waste time. Great work all around.
Great job by all. The initial controller (hi-sector) made a lot of phone calls to ease the crew's workload. They skipped talking to the low-sector and went straight to TUL approach. The approach controller understood the need for a quick recovery while recognizing the need for energy management during a slam-dunk arrival.
He did a great job. Here in the UK we train to avoid giving direct to places as this puts workload on the crew. A vector/heading with a distance to the field is our modus operandi.
@@ianm408another thing that seems better in Europe is how you about frequency changes. In the US, the emergency a/c has to change frequencies all the time, like a normal flight. In many European emergencies, ATC gives a discrete frequency for that plane and all the ATCs that need to handle that a/c tune on that frequency. One more thing taken off the shoulders of the crew.
@@nod2009 in the UK it's possible for the emergency aircraft to stay on one frequency until it reaches the airfield. That's assuming it can stay in range of the transmitter for that frequency. Unfortunately, when the aircraft needs to be transferred to approach control it would need to change frequency. Where a pilot is unable to change frequency due to equipment failure then instructions could be relayed from the correct controller, but transmission range could still be a problem.
The term "ice water in veins" comes to mind. To remain that calm whilst on fire and performing an emergency descent is incredible. Hats off to ATC as well for matching the calm and professionalism.
In aviation you get terrified once in a while, usually during the first few years. Once you overcome these frights then things that happen later in your career, usually in larger and more capable aircraft, don’t seem to daunting.
It I mean not much other choice. Also, it's not like the whole plane is on fire and they're breathing in smoke and engines failing. They got a warning signal on so decided to land quickly... I mean they did well, but not like they were under fire or something
Looking at the flight data (flightradar24) their decent was over -6,528 fpm at one point. almost 75 mph (down)vertical controlled dive. Impressive bird will do what it needs to do when their butts are on fire. (Back in the air two days later and still flying today)
@@wolphin732 reading other comments that’s nothing for this plane. This individual aircraft had been well and truly tested during a hijacking attempt in 94. I’m reading it was previously Upside down and almost broke the sound barrier.
If you are familiar with Swiss Air 111 you will understand how important it is to continue descending. In a real fire nothing will save you but getting on the ground asap.
Do u know on 10.08.98 3 cabine crewmembers have taste of fire for short time in there nose? On the accident airplane? 111 is the reason why fire ore smoke = asap
The case of UPS flight 6 was so painfully close to landing despite near zero visibility through the smoke. That really showed the danger of lithium batteries
Great work guys. For the general public....of all the aircraft that have had a fire on board, no one lasted beyond 30 minutes. Thus the haste to get down. (The Swiss air flight went over the 30 min. alas.) The 'Burn Bag" being one of the only hope in this day of lithium batteries. The FedEx 'Stewart, N.Y.' burn was a similar get down inside of 30 min. Aircraft destroyed. This crew did an outstanding job, making it seem almost normal. Proud of ya!!!
@@wanderer5581 You are misinformed on the source. The FedEx/NTSB/FedEx Flight Safety teams knew exactly who/where the package came from. The biggest mistake was pulling the aircraft on to the taxiway. That act made it difficult for the rescue equipment to maneuver around the aircraft.
Close your eyes and practice ETA: most of this type of audio is coming off of scanners that may not be in a good location relative to the transmissions. Notice the ground transmissions are awful on this recording, but the tower and the airplane are closest with a clear line of sight. They're not hearing what we're hearing. It's our reception that is bad.
It's not so much about hearing exactly what they're saying. You get to the point where you already know what's coming and you just fill in the blanks with the few numbers they give you.
I'm assuming that the OP is referencing how ATC's instructions come flying at pilot's ears at the speed of light. Vital stuff can get missed by a recreational pilot (me) if you don't ask them to S L O W L Y repeat their directives. It can be frustrating. On both ends. I NEED the info. They NEED to keep a hundred other AC safe at that same moment. However, professional pilots are "tuned in" to all the conversations. I have civies ask me how the hell I understand what Dispatch is saying on my portable radio while on scenes all the time. After years of hearing the constant chirping you can pretty much pick up (through the "corner" of your ear) info that you need without really listening. Stuckels8 is correct.
Not quite so serious…..but it was for the pilot at the time……our flight to Florida Melbourne in September, some guy thought it was a good idea to vape in the toilets. All the fire alarms went off and cabin crew rushed to deal with the “fire”. The Captain just gets a fire warning in the cockpit, and (as he announced after) starts looking for the best place to land……we were mid Atlantic. He was extremely annoyed, and said his heart rate had increased by a lot! Not sure what action was taken with the culprit, but this is the first time I’ve experienced anything like this. The whole crew were obviously on the ball, and I congratulate them for that.
Good job. finding the closest airport to your position & contacting the local air traffic control center in the area is essential in an on-flight emergency such as fire or explosive decompression
I love how the air traffic controller stayed in contact as much as he could to keep the workload easy on the captain & first officer. Great job by all of you. Please continue to land safely & everyone have a great flight and be safe.
FedEx Express has some of the most advanced fire suppressant systems available. There are probes on rails on the cargo holds ceilings which will puncture into a cargo can and fill it with fire suppressant. It’s really quite amazing.
Another case of amazing calm and professionalism displayed by the flight crew considering their aircraft may have been on fire. Great job by ATC also. Curious to know if there was a fire or just faulty sensors.
The pilots evacuated because of a "heat signature" - I guess that's info from the fire trucks looking at the plane through IR goggles, so in fact it was on fire.
there was a fire: A Fedex Federal Express McDonnell Douglas MD-10, registration N306FE performing flight FX-463 from Sacramento,CA to Memphis,TN (USA) with 3 crew, was enroute at FL310 about 40nm northwest of Tulsa,OK (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Tulsa due to a fire indication in the cargo bay. On approach the crew reported they now got an additional cargo fire alert in the aft cargo area. The crew requested runway 18L and landed safely about 18 minutes after leaving FL310. Tower reported seeing no smoke from the aircraft. Emergency services reported a heat signature prompting the crew to evacuate the aircraft. Both runways at Tulsa were closed for about 30 minutes while emergency services put the fire out. Tower advised other aircraft on approach that the airport was closed to an evacuation on the runway, the Fedex aircraft was actually on fire. Tulsa Fire Department reported the crew evacuated safely, both runways were closed for about 30 minutes. The aircraft was towed to the cargo apron soon after the fire was put out. A number of aircraft decided to divert as result. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground about 19 hours after landing.
@@df446 well, of course not, it could also be a nuclear weapon, a star exploding, 1000 IR LEDs... but if there's multiple fire indications (which probably detect either smoke or CO or both) AND the firefighters see a heat signature, the by far most probably cause is in fact a fire. If you hear horses, it's probably horses, not zebras.
I worked for MEM and watched that bird land during the Callaway incident. My truck would not start and was busy dealing with that. No clue what was going on. Just another airplane with problems at landing. Found out on the news that night what had happened. WOW!!
This was the same Plane involved in the high profile FedEx 705 attempted hijacking by a disgruntled employee that was about to be let go. The incident I’m covering involved N306FE back in 1994. N306FE is the Aircraft in this Video.
Real ATC, this is a respected channel. Nowhere in the recorded comms here does the crew declare "MAYDAY." I come here because this is instructive information, and clickbait titles demean your credibility.
@@jaywhoisit4863 They may mean the same thing, but the feeling and impact of saying/hearing mayday, as opposed to "Were declaring an emergency" doesn't quite have the same urgency.
@@jaywhoisit4863 no they don’t mean the same thing. Mayday is an official call sign. “Emergency” is not. There are regulations around this stuff for a reason.
I was thinking the same, but the voice from the aircraft was clear so maybe the problem was with the receiver who records these? Maybe the party doing the recording had a short antenna or something like that even though the airplane was able to hear the atc fine.
Yes I’m always appalled by the analog radio. You’d also think that they’d get stuff like ground level air pressure automatically over some kind of digital radio.
@@Mike-oz4cv station pressure is constantly changing. There is an automatic system that constantly transmits on a different band, but ATC repeats station pressure specifically because it is one of the few bits of information that could actually crash an airplane.
These recordings often are made by people who live near the airport and just have a recording/stream running 24/7. The pilots and ATC usually have much clearer audio than the antennas that are often set up in people's back yard. If you note, once the aircraft lands, the audio from the aircraft is almost all static. This is because the recording was not actually made at the tower, but somewhere nearby instead. The tower likely had perfect reception since they have direct line of sight to the aircraft on the ground and are very close.
Footnote. There wasnt an actual fire. Investigation of the cargo area showed no sign of heat damage or smoke. It was noted that a package of ladybugs was in the shipment and that these were loose in the cargo area. It was suspected that 1 of these got into the smoke detector and set if off but that was not confirmed. ( Source NTSB report Fedex flight 463)
As stated in the comments - "...and air traffic controllers work to bring the flaming aircraft down." The aircraft was NEVER on fire. So why the sensationalism in the Title and comment section.
@@morbidmanmusic oh really? Well this internal medicine physician who is very "adult," and extremely well studied in the natural sciences, ranging from cell and developmental biology, microbiology, genetics , oncology, physiology,immunology, evolutionary biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, immunology, pathology, pharmocology, the list goes on and on, as well as being well studied on physics and math, having indulged in linear algebra for fun, and who computer programs as a hobby, and follows most recent advancements and studies in quantum physics, who does "human work" on a more than daily basis, including caring for the sick and dying during a pandemic and raising children, is fully convincedof the "man in the sky."
There is a video of a girl on her first solo that had one of her landing gear wheels fall off after take-off. The tower informed her that one wheel had fallen off. She was sort of calm, but it was obvious she was quite scared. I mean, who would not be? She was talking to the tower, and circling while they were trying to get ahold of her Instructor. They finely located him, and as he talked to her you could actually hear it in her voice, how he had such a calming effect on her. She landed the aircraft just like a pro, and it only did a small amount of damage to one end of the wing that was on the ground. I always wondered if she is still flying. I would ride, with her as the pilot, without question. Although she was scared, she still continued to "fly the airplane!" I know people that would freak-out over much less.
When passengers moan about weather etc etc due to delays I always think back to videos I watch on here and have a new appreciation of what could be happening in the sky or why we are delayed for 12 hours.
I just looked it up. There WAS a fire onboard. So the alert system and heat signature was spot on. Good thing and great work by the three crew, in making sure it didn’t get out of control.
Somebody said in the comments FWIW insects escaped from a package and tripped the fire alarm. Insects do that to the alarm in my house so I can easily imagine how that could happen. But again just what someone else said.
That number is not the altitude. That’s the atmospheric pressure they need to set into their barometric altimeter, so it gives them the right altitude.
@@Aerostar509 yes, but at the time they were cleared TO FL180, and given the altimeter, 29.86 mmHg. Below 29.92, there IS no FL180 because a plane at FL180 is below 18,000 feet if actual pressure is below standard.
Seems like a lot of needless flying around when you have a fire in the cargo hole. Is there a reason they didn’t just vector hin straight in for a runway?
They should have close circuit camera's focusing on all critical areas of the aircraft CARGO BAYS, TAIL SECTION LANDING GEAR ETC!!! We can send rockets to circle the moon, we can get ways for pilot / crews to see smoke visible or any other airframe or mechanical areas of the plane
Cameras don't show everything. The detectors are sufficient (and in many respects better, detecting temperature rises rather than visible flame or smoke) to indicate a (potential) problem, and either deal with it or get on the ground. Adding more (like cameras) is just more weight and another potential source of failure. Look up Swissair 111 - a nice shiny entertainment system, nobody expected the additional wiring to kill so many.
Why? Frankly, the most important thing in case of a fire is keeping your cool and evacuating. Unless you could get to the fire to attempt to put it out (and they can't, those planes are packed), the assumption that it's just a false indication but that you need to land because you can't prove that IS the fastest way to get the plane on the ground and evacuated. Cameras would waste time and money, and probably get people killed.
IR camera, modern ARFF trucks have FLIR/Thermal imaging cameras for the driver and officer to be able to detect fires/heat. There was a small cargo fire from this flight back in June. It took about 20 minutes to fully extinguish
@@MomedicsChannel Thanks, interesting to know. Isn't it crazy what this old plane experienced and its even flying again now! 4 hours ago it landed somewhere. crzay.
@@deandollahite4779 I found the website you're citing, but the guy who is citing that all over reddit is also claiming that the pilots "blew all the bottles in all engines and APU" which is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard :D So it's not reall trustworthy, also: why would there have been a heat signature?
It would be nice if you could add a timer in the corner of your videos. Especially this one, it would be interesting to know how long it actually took them to land the plane. Otherwise, amazing videos 😊
well the "REAL_ATC" says "Emergency crews at the airport are scrambled and air traffic controllers work to bring the flaming aircraft down." so I don't think this channel would blatently lie to create a narrative would they? You would think we would have seen video of the aircraft burning up as it approached Tulsa, or burning up on the ground. Perhaps there is a new definition for "FLAMING" that we are just not aware of?
When we first operated the MD10 the flight plans were filed as a MD10 but I understand there were some problems with international flight plans. The decision was made to file the flight plan as a DC10 even though we were flying a MD10.
Holy crap.....that sure was the long way to get to 18L. Good thing they didn't need to get on the ground ASAP. Although unsure of winds or active runway at that time.
It can take over 50 miles for an emergency descent without overspeed that could rip the wings off... As much as you want to point the nose down 30 deg, it just doesn't work.
@@fhuber7507 As I mentioned below a 360 during the descent to lose altitude would take less distance. I think perhaps they were being vectored to the active runway which was probably 360/000 but then asked for 18L to which they got vectored.
Whether flying a spiral or other pattern, the descent rate is constrained by time which is asap... continually dropping altitude to capture the glide slope is what controllers were doing... using available space.
I had a fire on a small GA Aircraft once (alternator/generator on a C172 and spread from there) and every second seems like an eternity but you can get yourself killed just as easy or easier by rushing and pushing the airframe.
4:28 What are they talking about they can’t get something turned back on on they ILS but they can use RNAV? I’m gonna guess that last one has something to do with navigation.
so where were the flames? what was on fire? you state "Emergency crews at the airport are scrambled and air traffic controllers work to bring the flaming aircraft down." are you sure you are correct on this? Please explain?
What's great is that the ATC have done this before, in simulation. Asking their existing fuel is straight from the practice run. Working quickly, but not panicking. Great stuff.
Been flying my entire adult life. Other than dealing with bad weather or emergencies, I'm far more comfortable in a plane than being in close formation with idiots on the highways.
Remember how the old DC-10's had 2 pilots & 1 flight engineer ? FedEx re-did (modernized) the cockpit on these old DC-10's to eliminate that flight engineer station and re-named the thing an "MD-10."
Doesn't "heavy" only need to be used on initial contact on frequency? Or have FAA rules changed. Haven't flown in the US for a couple of years. Both the controller and the pilot keep using it. "Mayday" would be a far more useful suffix to use on the callsign.
Superb video! I have a comm cert & inst rating but only fly GA. I'd rather descend at my discretion to enroute minimum altitudes (MEA). That flight north with a turn to final was too far for my comfort level, but is normal for a jet, I've learned. In a burning Cessna I'm landing in a field, unless I burn first! If an engine fire, I was taught to increase airspeed to attempt extinguishing. ATC did a superb job. I've edited this comment after learning of my ignorance concerning large, heavy jetliner procedures. Everything done by the crew, and ATC, was perfect for the emergent situation at hand. Man, fire on board is terrifying!
The actions you described are perfect for light aircraft, but might be worth listening again to what ATC actually cleared them for. Initial descent clearance was to 240 then 180 then 160 all without being prompted by the crew for further desc. (imagine how many potentially conflicting aircraft were at lower levels this close to Tulsa) Tracking clearance was “cleared right turn ‘direct’ Tulsa intl” then once crew readback ATC immediately asked “ Would you like a certain heading to get you into Tulsa” Crew also declared an emergency on initial contact with centre and never downgraded to an urgency, meaning they knew they could have asked for or done whatever they needed to get down asap. ATC would simply have made it work for them. Unsure exactly their cruising level when they got the warning, but even from initial desc clearance of 24k they likely needed those northerly track miles to get down to a reasonable intercept altitude and fly a somewhat stable appch post checklists etc. I say this only so you know it’s a somewhat thoughtful reply, I’m 10 years on wide bodies and there’s no way they could have tracked for a direct final from 30k feet for runway 18… All to simply say, ATC did a stellar job - as did the crew..
There’s a procedure for the 777 freighter where you descend and fly at 25,000ft which allows the fire suppression system to depressurise the main deck to attempt to subdue the fire. At about 60 miles to the runway you commence a rapid descent and slow to your approach speed for landing. “Heavy” planes can’t descend and slow at the same time.
@@Turrbo10 Yeah, my comment, which I've edited heavily now, was from my ignorant view of only having flown light GA aircraft. I am curious and enjoy learning, though. "Heavy" means above max. landing weight, correct? Why would a visual approach be avoided if heavy? Landing "heavy" is safe if the pilot is light and careful during touchdown, correct?
@@EdOeuna Ok, great, I'm learning! My original comment is from my experience of only flying light GA aircraft, so I'm ignorant of large jet procedures. So, a "heavy" can't descend and slow simply because it's weight causes acceleration whilst descending?
Mayday x 3 is often used when broadcasting to a non specific recipient. If the pilot was in contact with an enroute controller (and he was) him declaring an emergency is the same. Also, there is (or used to be years ago) a bit of a stigma in saying Mayday.
@@kerryrobinson3782 Oh I understand that. My question arose from the fact that the video title states "Mayday mayday mayday, we have a fire on board" but the pilots never use this phrase. For a channel that calls itself REAL ATC this seems disingenuous, at best.
@@fhuber7507 Nope. They use the phrase "declare an emergency" but never, as far as I can tell use the phrase "mayday mayday mayday", as stated in the video title. I think it's called misleading advertising? Or, in this case perhaps "clickbait" would be a better term for the wording of the title. 😉
@@PrivateVoid1 Most folks wouldn't get the click jolt from "FedEx 463 declares emergency." We know "mayday mayday mayday". Internationally, "pan pan pan" is the same thing. If they put that in the title, no one would click on it in north America...
![PASSENGER LANDS PLANE After Pilot Incapacitation [ATC audio]](/img/n.gif)
Fun fact: this a/c, N306FE, was the same a/c involved in the FDX705 incident from 1994 when Auburn R. Calloway attacked the flight crew with hammers and other blunt objects. As of November, 2022 it appears to still be at work for FedEx.
After those two incidents, I would NOT want to be a pilot assigned to fly this a/c… that’s some bad juju.
Wow, fascinating observation! I just rewatched the Mayday recreation of that a couple of days ago, amazing that the maneuvers that were done on that day left the aircraft fit to fly over a quarter century later!
@@CMSounds18 One could also say that this plane saved those pilots during that incident, and is a charmed aircraft.
I think they should just retire this bird
It was at EWR Saturday night, soon retired in January…
Some historic accidents have occurred from pilots not taking fire indications seriously or acting too late. So it was nice to see them take this one seriously and not waste time. Great work all around.
Yes absolutely. Should be emergency anytime fire alarm goes off. Period.
Great job by all. The initial controller (hi-sector) made a lot of phone calls to ease the crew's workload. They skipped talking to the low-sector and went straight to TUL approach. The approach controller understood the need for a quick recovery while recognizing the need for energy management during a slam-dunk arrival.
He did a great job. Here in the UK we train to avoid giving direct to places as this puts workload on the crew. A vector/heading with a distance to the field is our modus operandi.
@@ianm408another thing that seems better in Europe is how you about frequency changes. In the US, the emergency a/c has to change frequencies all the time, like a normal flight.
In many European emergencies, ATC gives a discrete frequency for that plane and all the ATCs that need to handle that a/c tune on that frequency.
One more thing taken off the shoulders of the crew.
@@nod2009 in the UK it's possible for the emergency aircraft to stay on one frequency until it reaches the airfield. That's assuming it can stay in range of the transmitter for that frequency.
Unfortunately, when the aircraft needs to be transferred to approach control it would need to change frequency.
Where a pilot is unable to change frequency due to equipment failure then instructions could be relayed from the correct controller, but transmission range could still be a problem.
@@ianm408 The controller actually says "descend and maintain FL240" (@1:07) so I think that's pretty clear?
@@charlescahlmk he does. I must have missed it the first time. I've suitably amended my post.
N306FE is being retired 12/31/22. It was previously a part of the hijacking event in 1994, and I was surprised that it was still flying.
where did you get that retirement date?
@@tomjohnson3976 Just Google it. The info is out there that it will be retired by the end of this year.
Was originally slated to have been retired in 2018.
It's cursed.
I’m surprised it’s still air worthy.
The term "ice water in veins" comes to mind. To remain that calm whilst on fire and performing an emergency descent is incredible. Hats off to ATC as well for matching the calm and professionalism.
What we train for.
It's just a part of the job.
In aviation you get terrified once in a while, usually during the first few years. Once you overcome these frights then things that happen later in your career, usually in larger and more capable aircraft, don’t seem to daunting.
What are they suppose to do, start balling so nobody can understand what theyre saying? WTF
It I mean not much other choice. Also, it's not like the whole plane is on fire and they're breathing in smoke and engines failing. They got a warning signal on so decided to land quickly... I mean they did well, but not like they were under fire or something
Looking at the flight data (flightradar24) their decent was over -6,528 fpm at one point. almost 75 mph (down)vertical controlled dive. Impressive bird will do what it needs to do when their butts are on fire. (Back in the air two days later and still flying today)
It was also a cargo plane, so not one with a whole plane of people in that rollercoaster dive
@@wolphin732 reading other comments that’s nothing for this plane. This individual aircraft had been well and truly tested during a hijacking attempt in 94. I’m reading it was previously Upside down and almost broke the sound barrier.
and still flying today - unfortunately not anymore
@@lukeorlando4814 True but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to put the aircraft through anything close to that again
@@squares4u but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger so this plane must be immortal
If you are familiar with Swiss Air 111 you will understand how important it is to continue descending. In a real fire nothing will save you but getting on the ground asap.
Do u know on 10.08.98 3 cabine crewmembers have taste of fire for short time in there nose? On the accident airplane?
111 is the reason why fire ore smoke = asap
yeah and they were worried about dumping fuel
The case of UPS flight 6 was so painfully close to landing despite near zero visibility through the smoke. That really showed the danger of lithium batteries
@@barrierefreies.trinken 😂 Taste of fire in nose is called a smell
I have often wondered if the crew should/could shut off cabin pressurisation. The thinner air should slow down burning.
What professionalism by all involved! To remain calm is an amazing feat
Great work guys. For the general public....of all the aircraft that have had a fire on board, no one lasted beyond 30 minutes. Thus the haste to get down. (The Swiss air flight went over the 30 min. alas.) The 'Burn Bag" being one of the only hope in this day of lithium batteries. The FedEx 'Stewart, N.Y.' burn was a similar get down inside of 30 min. Aircraft destroyed. This crew did an outstanding job, making it seem almost normal. Proud of ya!!!
Stewart was indeed amazing, the source was never confirmed,,, this was before lithium batteries,,,
@@wanderer5581 You are misinformed on the source. The FedEx/NTSB/FedEx Flight Safety teams knew exactly who/where the package came from. The biggest mistake was pulling the aircraft on to the taxiway. That act made it difficult for the rescue equipment to maneuver around the aircraft.
I could never be a pilot. Without the subtitles I honestly understand half of everything that is being said.
You get used to it with practice mostly.
Close your eyes and practice
ETA: most of this type of audio is coming off of scanners that may not be in a good location relative to the transmissions. Notice the ground transmissions are awful on this recording, but the tower and the airplane are closest with a clear line of sight. They're not hearing what we're hearing. It's our reception that is bad.
It's not so much about hearing exactly what they're saying. You get to the point where you already know what's coming and you just fill in the blanks with the few numbers they give you.
It sounds much better on the actual ship.
I'm assuming that the OP is referencing how ATC's instructions come flying at pilot's ears at the speed of light. Vital stuff can get missed by a recreational pilot (me) if you don't ask them to S L O W L Y repeat their directives. It can be frustrating. On both ends. I NEED the info. They NEED to keep a hundred other AC safe at that same moment. However, professional pilots are "tuned in" to all the conversations. I have civies ask me how the hell I understand what Dispatch is saying on my portable radio while on scenes all the time. After years of hearing the constant chirping you can pretty much pick up (through the "corner" of your ear) info that you need without really listening. Stuckels8 is correct.
I went to look up N306FE and wow, it was involved in a 1994 attempted hijacking as Fedex flight 705 with a rather interesting story on wikipedia.
that was absolutely insane, they flew that heavy inverted to throw the attacker off.
Sadly when the time comes, the airframe won’t be saved.
Wow it's the same a/c? Damn.
That plane was flown upside down at one point. There were bloody footprints on the roof of the jet.
Didn’t Air Crash Investigation dedicate an episode to that incident?
A good example of the system working like it was designed to, and being able to bring it all to a positive conclusion.
6:03 there’s a sign of relief in his voice.
That is the same plane involved in the Federal Express Flight 705 hijacking all those years ago. This plane should be preserved in a museum someday.
That flight engineer should have had attempted mass murder charges brought against him.
Friend of mine who's an airplane mechanic at FedEx told me about that one.
Damn shame to see something else bad happen to that old horse.
@@TheAlaska07 Well he did receive two consecutive life sentences.
@@feraxks I read awhile back where he was appealing and trying to get a new trial.
@@TheAlaska07 That would suck if it actually happens.
Pro-tip remember to turn off the propane grill before shipping it via fedex! Excellent job by all.
Ha!
Pk740!
"Dang it, Bobby, didja forgit to turn off the gosh darn pro payne?"
Not quite so serious…..but it was for the pilot at the time……our flight to Florida Melbourne in September, some guy thought it was a good idea to vape in the toilets. All the fire alarms went off and cabin crew rushed to deal with the “fire”. The Captain just gets a fire warning in the cockpit, and (as he announced after) starts looking for the best place to land……we were mid Atlantic. He was extremely annoyed, and said his heart rate had increased by a lot! Not sure what action was taken with the culprit, but this is the first time I’ve experienced anything like this. The whole crew were obviously on the ball, and I congratulate them for that.
Smoking in the lavs is a felony. I imagine this person will be continuing their stupid habit in federal lockup.
N306FE is scheduled to be the final MD-10 retired by FedEx on December 31st, 2022. I guess the retirement comes early now.
N306FE is still flying around at MEM currently. It looks like whatever damages there were had been repaired.
@@Wheninflight There was no damage, and no fire. They had ladybugs on board, which escaped and caused a false alarm for the cargo area fire.
@@davek12 bright red bugs.... hahahaha :) now that is a funny part... and would have had everyone laughing in relief
They make it sound like just another day at the flaming office...
Good job. finding the closest airport to your position & contacting the local air traffic control center in the area is essential in an on-flight emergency such as fire or explosive decompression
I love how the air traffic controller stayed in contact as much as he could to keep the workload easy on the captain & first officer. Great job by all of you. Please continue to land safely & everyone have a great flight and be safe.
Smoothly and efficiently handled by the pilot. great Job.
I am surprised they don’t have Halon fire systems in the cargo area
FedEx Express has some of the most advanced fire suppressant systems available. There are probes on rails on the cargo holds ceilings which will puncture into a cargo can and fill it with fire suppressant. It’s really quite amazing.
Lower cargo hold has a fire suppression system. Only the MD11 has the main deck suppression system described by Rob
Not all fires can be put out with fire suppressant systems.
Lithium batteries is one example
@@JohnDoe-bd5sz they have special areas in those planes for them with those types of chemicals to get them out
Whatever air traffic controllers get paid, it’s not enough!
So calm. Unbelievable.
Remember.... ATC are not the ones who will crash if all goes wrong ;-)
Another case of amazing calm and professionalism displayed by the flight crew considering their aircraft may have been on fire. Great job by ATC also. Curious to know if there was a fire or just faulty sensors.
The pilots evacuated because of a "heat signature" - I guess that's info from the fire trucks looking at the plane through IR goggles, so in fact it was on fire.
@@jemand8462 A fire is not the only thing that can create an IR heat signature.
I looked it up it was a ladybug infestation that gave a false indication
there was a fire:
A Fedex Federal Express McDonnell Douglas MD-10, registration N306FE performing flight FX-463 from Sacramento,CA to Memphis,TN (USA) with 3 crew, was enroute at FL310 about 40nm northwest of Tulsa,OK (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Tulsa due to a fire indication in the cargo bay. On approach the crew reported they now got an additional cargo fire alert in the aft cargo area. The crew requested runway 18L and landed safely about 18 minutes after leaving FL310. Tower reported seeing no smoke from the aircraft. Emergency services reported a heat signature prompting the crew to evacuate the aircraft. Both runways at Tulsa were closed for about 30 minutes while emergency services put the fire out.
Tower advised other aircraft on approach that the airport was closed to an evacuation on the runway, the Fedex aircraft was actually on fire.
Tulsa Fire Department reported the crew evacuated safely, both runways were closed for about 30 minutes. The aircraft was towed to the cargo apron soon after the fire was put out. A number of aircraft decided to divert as result.
The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground about 19 hours after landing.
@@df446 well, of course not, it could also be a nuclear weapon, a star exploding, 1000 IR LEDs... but if there's multiple fire indications (which probably detect either smoke or CO or both) AND the firefighters see a heat signature, the by far most probably cause is in fact a fire.
If you hear horses, it's probably horses, not zebras.
Cool fanbloodytastic bit of professionalism by pilot ,crew and great ground staff 👍👨🏻🏭🇬🇧
I worked for MEM and watched that bird land during the Callaway incident. My truck would not start and was busy dealing with that. No clue what was going on. Just another airplane with problems at landing. Found out on the news that night what had happened. WOW!!
This was the same Plane involved in the high profile FedEx 705 attempted hijacking by a disgruntled employee that was about to be let go. The incident I’m covering involved N306FE back in 1994. N306FE is the Aircraft in this Video.
Would be nice to find out what happened.
I wish there were a video from the ATC tower of the planes approach.
Real ATC, this is a respected channel. Nowhere in the recorded comms here does the crew declare "MAYDAY." I come here because this is instructive information, and clickbait titles demean your credibility.
Declaring an emergency, squawking the code, or saying Mayday are all the same thing!
@@jaywhoisit4863 They may mean the same thing, but the feeling and impact of saying/hearing mayday, as opposed to "Were declaring an emergency" doesn't quite have the same urgency.
@@HitomiNee They’re also covering protocol by using ‘We are declaring an emergency!’, I believe.
@@jaywhoisit4863 no they don’t mean the same thing. Mayday is an official call sign. “Emergency” is not. There are regulations around this stuff for a reason.
I kept waiting for it! Can’t believe I had to scroll this far to find this comment. Misleading
Awesome job of the pilots, you would think that in aviation the radios would be better without all the static.
AM radio is entrenched.
I was thinking the same, but the voice from the aircraft was clear so maybe the problem was with the receiver who records these? Maybe the party doing the recording had a short antenna or something like that even though the airplane was able to hear the atc fine.
Yes I’m always appalled by the analog radio. You’d also think that they’d get stuff like ground level air pressure automatically over some kind of digital radio.
@@Mike-oz4cv station pressure is constantly changing. There is an automatic system that constantly transmits on a different band, but ATC repeats station pressure specifically because it is one of the few bits of information that could actually crash an airplane.
These recordings often are made by people who live near the airport and just have a recording/stream running 24/7. The pilots and ATC usually have much clearer audio than the antennas that are often set up in people's back yard. If you note, once the aircraft lands, the audio from the aircraft is almost all static. This is because the recording was not actually made at the tower, but somewhere nearby instead. The tower likely had perfect reception since they have direct line of sight to the aircraft on the ground and are very close.
asn says it was a false indication of fire; instead, it was a “ladybug infestation”.
I would love @74Gear to talk about this video. Always enjoy hearing him break things down
Mentour Pilot, as well
@@barbaraperry5023 I agree
@@barbaraperry5023 I recommend reporting Mentour Pilot and other channels for spam because you don't know what he's even going on about
306 is the Calaway cruiser. It was ladybugs I recall…..
I sure hope they find a musuem for this bird and not the scrap yard it deserves a better fate.
Thank You for sharing.
Well, that probably explains the delay notice of my Amazon order... 🤪
FedEx doesn't ship Amazon packages.
yes they do for international orders. Carriers are assigned depending on the destination country
Would increasing altitude have any effect on the fire since oxygen gets even thinner?
It would let it spread by wasting time.
Why didn't the ATC explicitly acknowledged the emergency declaration?
Can anyone explain why the ILS couldn't be turned on in time, as ATC advised?
it takes time for ILS, etc. to get set up while the aircraft is preparing for final approach
Footnote. There wasnt an actual fire. Investigation of the cargo area showed no sign of heat damage or smoke. It was noted that a package of ladybugs was in the shipment and that these were loose in the cargo area. It was suspected that 1 of these got into the smoke detector and set if off but that was not confirmed. ( Source NTSB report Fedex flight 463)
There actually MD-10's...Not DC-10's...they were converted over...at great expense. I've jump seated on them several times in the past.
For all you pilots, and such, I have a question. Why is there no Halon system onboard Cargo Planes?
So was it burning, or just false alarm?
As stated in the comments - "...and air traffic controllers work to bring the flaming aircraft down." The aircraft was NEVER on fire. So why the sensationalism in the Title and comment section.
I love that he calls them "souls." God bless you gentlemen. Living souls! 🙌
Standard practice
@@Mrclean431 cool!
You must be new?
It's just a hang over term. It's not like adnults really believe in a man in the sky. They're to busy doing human work.
@@morbidmanmusic oh really? Well this internal medicine physician who is very "adult," and extremely well studied in the natural sciences, ranging from cell and developmental biology, microbiology, genetics , oncology, physiology,immunology, evolutionary biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, immunology, pathology, pharmocology, the list goes on and on, as well as being well studied on physics and math, having indulged in linear algebra for fun, and who computer programs as a hobby, and follows most recent advancements and studies in quantum physics, who does "human work" on a more than daily basis, including caring for the sick and dying during a pandemic and raising children, is fully convincedof the "man in the sky."
You listen to this and by the tone of the voices it sounds so routine. Amazing!
There is a video of a girl on her first solo that had one of her landing gear wheels fall off after take-off. The tower informed her that one wheel had fallen off. She was sort of calm, but it was obvious she was quite scared. I mean, who would not be? She was talking to the tower, and circling while they were trying to get ahold of her Instructor. They finely located him, and as he talked to her you could actually hear it in her voice, how he had such a calming effect on her. She landed the aircraft just like a pro, and it only did a small amount of damage to one end of the wing that was on the ground.
I always wondered if she is still flying. I would ride, with her as the pilot, without question. Although she was scared, she still continued to "fly the airplane!" I know people that would freak-out over much less.
Here before the title gets corrected from "FedeEX" to "FedEx".
When passengers moan about weather etc etc due to delays I always think back to videos I watch on here and have a new appreciation of what could be happening in the sky or why we are delayed for 12 hours.
Really could use an incident summary, as to what happened, and if everyone made it off the plane safely. Was there an actual fire?
This event is still only hours old. There is nothing official that the content creator can report yet.
@@peterjames808 Check the date below the video: 07 JUN 2022 - it's also noted 11 seconds into the video.
I just looked it up. There WAS a fire onboard. So the alert system and heat signature was spot on. Good thing and great work by the three crew, in making sure it didn’t get out of control.
Somebody said in the comments FWIW insects escaped from a package and tripped the fire alarm. Insects do that to the alarm in my house so I can easily imagine how that could happen. But again just what someone else said.
Was indeed on fire. Quick Google of fedex 463
Odd to give an altimeter with a flight level ... odder still because it was below 29.92, so there is no FL180 to give.
Possibly to help the pilots anticipate with the emergency max decent
It is crucial that the altimeter be set to the correct value for most RNAV approaches.
Any time you are cleared below FL180 you will receive a current altimeter setting.
That number is not the altitude. That’s the atmospheric pressure they need to set into their barometric altimeter, so it gives them the right altitude.
@@Aerostar509 yes, but at the time they were cleared TO FL180, and given the altimeter, 29.86 mmHg. Below 29.92, there IS no FL180 because a plane at FL180 is below 18,000 feet if actual pressure is below standard.
God God, why are dc 10's still in the air ?!?!!?!?!
Seems like a lot of needless flying around when you have a fire in the cargo hole. Is there a reason they didn’t just vector hin straight in for a runway?
They should have close circuit camera's focusing on all critical areas of the aircraft CARGO BAYS, TAIL SECTION LANDING GEAR ETC!!! We can send rockets to circle the moon, we can get ways for pilot / crews to see smoke visible or any other airframe or mechanical areas of the plane
@@zippitydoohdangtwang You still believe the moon exists?🤡
Yes we should but the airframe is 50 years old and it was impossible to implement it back then and just not worth the cost to re fit it today.
Cameras don't show everything. The detectors are sufficient (and in many respects better, detecting temperature rises rather than visible flame or smoke) to indicate a (potential) problem, and either deal with it or get on the ground. Adding more (like cameras) is just more weight and another potential source of failure. Look up Swissair 111 - a nice shiny entertainment system, nobody expected the additional wiring to kill so many.
Why? Frankly, the most important thing in case of a fire is keeping your cool and evacuating. Unless you could get to the fire to attempt to put it out (and they can't, those planes are packed), the assumption that it's just a false indication but that you need to land because you can't prove that IS the fastest way to get the plane on the ground and evacuated. Cameras would waste time and money, and probably get people killed.
Anyone know what the pilot meant when he said they have a "heat signature"?
It means that one of the heat/fire detecting sensors onboard is reporting excessive heat. Usually indicating a fire, or a fire about to erupt.
@@dcorman Thanks Don
I have never realized how tiny our airport is compared to some like Phoenix and Denver. 😂
Dont they have fire suppression in the cargo hold? Also, can the pilots depressurize the cargo hold to starve the fire of oxygen?
Huh, this plane has seen some action in its life, Its all coming together haha.
Am I correct to assume that "heat signature" meant the fire fighters saw a fire through IR goggles thus the fire was real?
IR camera, modern ARFF trucks have FLIR/Thermal imaging cameras for the driver and officer to be able to detect fires/heat. There was a small cargo fire from this flight back in June. It took about 20 minutes to fully extinguish
@@MomedicsChannel Thanks, interesting to know.
Isn't it crazy what this old plane experienced and its even flying again now! 4 hours ago it landed somewhere. crzay.
Not a fire. It ended up being a false indication.
Ultimately these were the notes of what happened “Ladybug infestation in lower cargo causing erroneous indication. No smoke or fire noted “
@@deandollahite4779 I found the website you're citing, but the guy who is citing that all over reddit is also claiming that the pilots "blew all the bottles in all engines and APU" which is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard :D So it's not reall trustworthy, also: why would there have been a heat signature?
So when emergency ground services are provided does the airline get charged?
What happened to Cleared to Tulsa via direct. He never got recleared to Tulsa haha
what do they mean with a heat signature ? Was there a fire in the cargo bay or was it a false alarm ?
I can't imagine being on a plane that was on fire. Couldn't at least 1 of the packages have contained a flammable object?
It would be nice if you could add a timer in the corner of your videos. Especially this one, it would be interesting to know how long it actually took them to land the plane.
Otherwise, amazing videos 😊
Dc-10? That has the md-11 fire alarm
So was there an actual fire? Or were the instruments faulty? (Great job landing safely)
Bugs (ladybugs I think) got loose and caused a false reading on sensors.
@@MikeInDa918 Well at least it wasn't like that poor UPS flight near Dubai. Those poor souls were doomed from the beginning.
well the "REAL_ATC" says "Emergency crews at the airport are scrambled and air traffic controllers work to bring the flaming aircraft down." so I don't think this channel would blatently lie to create a narrative would they? You would think we would have seen video of the aircraft burning up as it approached Tulsa, or burning up on the ground. Perhaps there is a new definition for "FLAMING" that we are just not aware of?
Wondering if there was no way to do a straight in for 18 L
So that is what happened to my missing FEDEX package! LOL
I thought all the dc10s were retired by now, I know theres none doing pax work in the US anymore.
Good thing they weren't blazing on fire, sure took a long time to loop down.
He said altitude was 2986 and not the altimeter? Isn’t the altimeter supposed to be calibrated for each airport? Like 29.86 or 27.86 etc?
Can't believe they sent him around again. Just clear the runway
When did they send him around? I didn’t see that. Just vectors to lose altitude.
There could have been some more details at the end, with live video
So, how did it end? Well or Bad or kinda okay?
I have a question for you guys , does everyone understand this audio without subtitles?
this plane was also the victim of a hijacking. Lots of history in this bird.
I'm surprised he went so far north with only a 4kt wind. He probably could have landed fine with a slight tailwind.
DC-10? No, this was an MD-10. FedEx converted all their DC-10s to MD-10s nearly 20 years ago to get rid of all their flight engineers.
So was the third soul on board a jump seater
When we first operated the MD10 the flight plans were filed as a MD10 but I understand there were some problems with international flight plans. The decision was made to file the flight plan as a DC10 even though we were flying a MD10.
Well, what happened next???
Holy crap.....that sure was the long way to get to 18L. Good thing they didn't need to get on the ground ASAP. Although unsure of winds or active runway at that time.
It can take over 50 miles for an emergency descent without overspeed that could rip the wings off...
As much as you want to point the nose down 30 deg, it just doesn't work.
@@fhuber7507 As I mentioned below a 360 during the descent to lose altitude would take less distance. I think perhaps they were being vectored to the active runway which was probably 360/000 but then asked for 18L to which they got vectored.
Whether flying a spiral or other pattern, the descent rate is constrained by time which is asap... continually dropping altitude to capture the glide slope is what controllers were doing... using available space.
I had a fire on a small GA Aircraft once (alternator/generator on a C172 and spread from there) and every second seems like an eternity but you can get yourself killed just as easy or easier by rushing and pushing the airframe.
They WANTED 18L because they needed the extra turn to lose altitude bro.
4:28 What are they talking about they can’t get something turned back on on they ILS but they can use RNAV? I’m gonna guess that last one has something to do with navigation.
so where were the flames? what was on fire? you state "Emergency crews at the airport are scrambled and air traffic controllers work to bring the flaming aircraft down." are you sure you are correct on this? Please explain?
What's great is that the ATC have done this before, in simulation. Asking their existing fuel is straight from the practice run. Working quickly, but not panicking. Great stuff.
I bet they have done this before in real life too. Happens every day somewhere in the US.
@@dcorman my comment was sarcasm. The guy acts like this is rare and it was simulated training that helped the atc. It's a daily occurrence
Asking for fuel and souls on-board is Federal Regulation.
@@wwjohnnymaydo Sry. I replied to the wrong person :)
@@dcorman along with asking the nature of the emergency or if trucks need to be rolled
The international word MAYDAY is not used in USA 🤦🏻♂️ ?
So what did it turn out to be???
A heat signature, so there was a fire actually?
Bt why didnt the plane just come straight and land
4:18 The Emergency plane asks for descend...does the controller forgot this plane?
no info on the fire
And that’s why flying is safer than driving👍🏻🇺🇸
Been flying my entire adult life. Other than dealing with bad weather or emergencies, I'm far more comfortable in a plane than being in close formation with idiots on the highways.
I agree, but the problem is finding a place to park and get checked in, etc.
Those dang lithium batteries.
Corect me if I'm wrong - no such thing as an MD-10? All DC-10s were manufactured by Douglas, and the MD-11 was a McDonnell Douglas...?
Remember how the old DC-10's had 2 pilots & 1 flight engineer ? FedEx re-did (modernized) the cockpit on these old DC-10's to eliminate that flight engineer station and re-named the thing an "MD-10."
Doesn't "heavy" only need to be used on initial contact on frequency? Or have FAA rules changed. Haven't flown in the US for a couple of years. Both the controller and the pilot keep using it. "Mayday" would be a far more useful suffix to use on the callsign.
Yeah heavy always needs to be stated for every message
Superb video! I have a comm cert & inst rating but only fly GA. I'd rather descend at my discretion to enroute minimum altitudes (MEA). That flight north with a turn to final was too far for my comfort level, but is normal for a jet, I've learned. In a burning Cessna I'm landing in a field, unless I burn first! If an engine fire, I was taught to increase airspeed to attempt extinguishing. ATC did a superb job. I've edited this comment after learning of my ignorance concerning large, heavy jetliner procedures. Everything done by the crew, and ATC, was perfect for the emergent situation at hand. Man, fire on board is terrifying!
The actions you described are perfect for light aircraft, but might be worth listening again to what ATC actually cleared them for.
Initial descent clearance was to 240 then 180 then 160 all without being prompted by the crew for further desc. (imagine how many potentially conflicting aircraft were at lower levels this close to Tulsa) Tracking clearance was “cleared right turn ‘direct’ Tulsa intl” then once crew readback ATC immediately asked “ Would you like a certain heading to get you into Tulsa”
Crew also declared an emergency on initial contact with centre and never downgraded to an urgency, meaning they knew they could have asked for or done whatever they needed to get down asap. ATC would simply have made it work for them.
Unsure exactly their cruising level when they got the warning, but even from initial desc clearance of 24k they likely needed those northerly track miles to get down to a reasonable intercept altitude and fly a somewhat stable appch post checklists etc.
I say this only so you know it’s a somewhat thoughtful reply, I’m 10 years on wide bodies and there’s no way they could have tracked for a direct final from 30k feet for runway 18…
All to simply say, ATC did a stellar job - as did the crew..
And just a footnote - a visual approach is not something that will typically make your day easier if your call sign ends in ‘heavy’ 🤣🤣
There’s a procedure for the 777 freighter where you descend and fly at 25,000ft which allows the fire suppression system to depressurise the main deck to attempt to subdue the fire. At about 60 miles to the runway you commence a rapid descent and slow to your approach speed for landing.
“Heavy” planes can’t descend and slow at the same time.
@@Turrbo10 Yeah, my comment, which I've edited heavily now, was from my ignorant view of only having flown light GA aircraft. I am curious and enjoy learning, though. "Heavy" means above max. landing weight, correct? Why would a visual approach be avoided if heavy? Landing "heavy" is safe if the pilot is light and careful during touchdown, correct?
@@EdOeuna Ok, great, I'm learning! My original comment is from my experience of only flying light GA aircraft, so I'm ignorant of large jet procedures. So, a "heavy" can't descend and slow simply because it's weight causes acceleration whilst descending?
Why are some airlines still operating DC10s?
It's a great plane. After the early issues it became one of the safest planes.
Crew flying DECLARED AN EMERGENCY with Kansas City Center at 0:56 in the video.
Coop
Must be so scary getting that alarm.
Not an expert on aviation here, what does the "heavy" suffix mean? Google tells me its about wake turbulence, is that correct?
Yes. “Heavy” means smaller planes following could be affected by turbulence.
This is why carrying freight is a hazardous business.
I may have missed it, but when did they make the 'mayday mayday mayday' call as stated by the video title?
Mayday x 3 is often used when broadcasting to a non specific recipient. If the pilot was in contact with an enroute controller (and he was) him declaring an emergency is the same. Also, there is (or used to be years ago) a bit of a stigma in saying Mayday.
first few seconds after the text block
@@kerryrobinson3782 Oh I understand that. My question arose from the fact that the video title states "Mayday mayday mayday, we have a fire on board" but the pilots never use this phrase. For a channel that calls itself REAL ATC this seems disingenuous, at best.
@@fhuber7507 Nope. They use the phrase "declare an emergency" but never, as far as I can tell use the phrase "mayday mayday mayday", as stated in the video title. I think it's called misleading advertising? Or, in this case perhaps "clickbait" would be a better term for the wording of the title. 😉
@@PrivateVoid1 Most folks wouldn't get the click jolt from "FedEx 463 declares emergency." We know "mayday mayday mayday". Internationally, "pan pan pan" is the same thing. If they put that in the title, no one would click on it in north America...
My friend and great controller worked a fire on board Fedex DC10 into SWF airport yrs ago.
It burned up quickly after landing