United Airlines DC-10
Photo Credit: Kplastique (Wikimedia Commons)
What can you do when the hydraulic system in your plane fails?
When a hydraulic system fails in an aircraft, the response depends on the type of aircraft and the severity of the failure. Hydraulic systems are essentially the “muscles” of an aircraft, responsible for operating the landing gear, flight controls, brakes, and flaps.
On July 19, 1989, a United Airlines DC-10, Flight 232, crash-landed at Sioux City Airport after a catastrophic failure of its tail engine caused a loss of all its hydraulic control. In this worst-case scenario, the pilots lost all traditional control of the aircraft. The captain then resorted to unconventional methods, using asymmetric thrust to make minimal directional changes.
Remarkably, through good teamwork with another travelling company instructor pilot, the crew managed to line up the plane on a closed runway. Unfortunately, the descent was too steep and fast, resulting in the right wing striking the ground and breaking off. Despite the crash, 184 of the 296 passengers survived, including the entire cockpit crew, though they were seriously injured.
In the aftermath of the Flight 232 crash, new regulations were implemented to enhance the design of aircraft hydraulic systems, ensuring that such catastrophic failures would be less likely in the future.
Today’s aircraft, like the Airbus A330, feature multiple redundant hydraulic systems, making them far safer. For instance, on September 1, 2024, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH 66, an Airbus A330, experienced a hydraulic issue shortly after departure for Seoul. Unlike the United Airlines incident, MH 66 had only one of its three hydraulic systems failed, allowing the pilots to safely return to the airport after burning off some fuel to reduce the landing weight.
In cases where only one hydraulic system fails, the impact on the aircraft is usually minimal, and the plane can continue to fly and even auto-land without significant issues.
When two hydraulic systems fail, which is rare, the aircraft can still be flown manually, but without autopilot and with reduced functionality. This can lead to a longer landing distance, as some components like spoilers, normal braking, and flaps might not be operational.
A notable example of this occurred when Qantas Flight 32, an Airbus A380, suffered an engine failure that caused the loss of one hydraulic system. The aircraft safely landed at Singapore’s Changi Airport but required 3.9 kilometres of runway, stopping just 100 meters before the end of the 4-kilometer runway.
Handling a hydraulic failure requires quick thinking and adherence to procedures. Pilots must remain calm, assess the situation, and make decisions based on available resources.
Modern planes today are designed with significant backups to handle hydraulic failures, and in most cases, a failure of a single system will only result in minor issues.
View YouTube video ‘Flight to Incheon turned back due to technical issue’
here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5yM73m_lYU
View YouTube video ‘The Impossible Landing | United Airlines Flight 232’