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Hydraulic failure

Listen to a pilot working through the loss of 2 hydraulic systems

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Partial loss of instruments

Incident: GOL B738 near Sao Paulo on Oct 16th 2011, partial loss of instruments

By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Oct 19th 2011 17:16Z, last updated Monday, Nov 28th 2011 23:20ZA

GOL Transportes Aereas Boeing 737-800, registration PR-GUL performing flight G3-1536 from Sao Paulo Congonhas,SP to Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont,RJ (Brazil) with 95 passengers, was climbing out of Congonhas' runway 17L when the crew reported problems with the airspeed and altimeter indications, levelled off at 9000 feet and diverted to Campinas,SP for a safe landing on runway 33 about 30 minutes after departure.

A replacement Boeing 737-700 registration PR-VBW reached Rio de Janeiro with a delay of 4 hours.

The airline confirmed the flight from Congonhas (Sao Paulo) to Santos Dumont Airport (Rio de Janeiro) diverted to Viracopos Airport (Campinas) due to "unscheduled maintenance".

Passengers reported the captain made an announcement of having flight control problems and later warned passengers it would be a hard touchdown at Viracopos Airport due to failure of airspeed and altimeter indications.

A recording of communication between ATC and the aircraft in Portugese was released at http://soundcloud.com/rafaelguimar-es-1/may-day-may-day, transcribed by Francisco Meyen, translated by Francisco Meyen and AVH:

Gol: Mayday, Mayday Flight 1536
ATC: 1536, control, go ahead
Gol: Mayday Mayday
ATC: Affirm hearing you, 1536 go ahead
Gol: we have problems with the flight controls 1536
ATC: Roger, what are your intentions?
Gol: maintain heading for now!
ATC: Roger, altitude at your discretion.
Gol: Thanks
ATC: Gol 1536, heading and altitude at your discretion, we are listening
Gol: We are mainting 6000 and [unintelligible]
...
Gol: Gol 1536
ATC: Go ahead
Gol: It appears all our instruments have returned to normal. We request to divert to Guarulhos.
ATC: Diversion to Guarulhos, roger. Can you accept normal radar vectors?
Gol: The speed indications are obviously false, can we hold position here for two minutes?
ATC: There is another flight at FL90 at your 1 o'clock, can you maintain FL80?
Gol: Unable, can it be FL 90?
ATC: If possible turn left heading 090, there is another plane at your 12 o'clock level at FL90.
...
ATC: Gol 1536, Control ..
Gol: Go ahead, control.
ATC: Ok. Are you ready for vectors turning left to Guarulhos?
Gol: Not yet. Tell us please what readings do you get from our flight?
ATC: Altitude 8900 feet and 246 knots ground speed.
GOL: 246? Oh? Okay, good one! We have a difference of almost 200 knots between left and right panel.
ATC: Radar now shows you at 233 knots ground speed and an altitude of 9000 feet.
Gol: Roger. You are saying our speed is now 237 knots and altitude is 9000 feet, correct?
ATC: Now 232 knots, that's what we see here.
Gol: Our level is 9600 feet, correct?
ATC: Flight Level 90, 90.
Gol: OK, we'll maintain that level.
ATC: Gol 1536, now reading 9000 feet, ground speed 234 knots, over.
Gol: Control, Gol 1536, what's the weather at Galeao [Rio de Janeiro]?
ATC: Roger, I'll check directly with Galeao, stand by. Currently I see you at 9100 feet, ground speed 258, ok?
Gol: OK. Speed is okay, altitude is a bit different.
ATC: Tell me your intentions. On my screen you are practically aligned with [the runway at] Santos, heading 165, same [direction] as takeoff.
Gol: Roger, thanks.
ATC: You are now reaching the sea, correct?
Gol: Ok, report conditions at Campinas [Viracopos], too, please.
ATC: Roger, collecting the information, will report shortly.
Gol: Can you please inform all the airports I asked for?
ATC: I'm getting these infos and will pass them to you in a moment.
...
Gol: Gol 1536
ATC: Go ahead.
Gol: Can we turn around here?
ATC: Turn at your convenience, current ground speed is 272, altitude 9100 feet.
Gol: Roger, thanks.
...
ATC: Gol 1536, ground speed 239, 9100 feet
Gol: Roger, thanks
...
ATC: Gol 1536, Control.
Gol: Go ahead.
ATC: Campinas operates in minimum VMC runway 33. Galeão is in IMC 30 / 10. OK?
Gol: Roger. We'll divert to Campinas.
ATC: Didn't hear you, say again!
Gol: Our intention is to go to Campinas.
ATC: Roger, you intend to go to Campinas, confirm?
Gol: ah, we'll inform you when we are ready for the approach.
ATC: roger, remain between mainland and the ocean near Santos, current altitude 9100 feet, speed 254, ok?
Gol: Roger, understood, thanks.
ATC: Gol 1536 over land, speed 257, 9100 feet.
Gol: Roger, vector to Campinas please?
ATC: Heading 345 to Campinas
Gol: roger, heading 345.
ATC: confirm you are heading for Campinas?
Gol: Campinas is still visual, correct?
ATC: Affirmative, Campinas operates at minimum visual conditions runway 33. You are going to join a long final for Campinas.
Gol: Roger, perfect. We are going to fly towards Dadibi.
ATC: Roger, heading to Dadibi. Maintain your altitude, you are going to fly directly over Congonhas.
Gol: Roger. Which would be the direct heading for Dadibi?
ATC: Direct heading to Dadibi is 349. You are at 9100 feet, speed 253.
Gol: Ok, thanks.
ATC: Distance to Dadibi is 54 miles and to the runway 62 miles.
Gol: Roger, Thanks. As soon as we pass Congonhas we'll ask for lower.
ATC: Ok. You are now 11 miles from Congonhas and 58 miles from Campinas, altitude of 9100, speed 260
Gol: Roger, thanks
...
ATC: Gol 1536, control
Gol: Go ahead
ATC: If possible report number of people on board, any hazardeous goods on board and remaining fuel.
Gol: 105 people on board, no hazardous goods, what else do you need?
ATC: Remaining fuel, time or pounds?
Gol: Ahhhhh, just a moment please. 2:20 hours remaining.
ATC: Confirm 2:20 hours remaining?
Gol: Affirmative.
ATC: Roger.
...
ATC: Gol 1536, control
Gol: Go ahead!
ATC: Winds varying from 250 to 280, left crosswind, Campinas visual at minimum. At your choice you can approach runway 33 directly or runway 15, visibility is a bit better for runway 15.
Gol: Can you vector us onto final for 33?
ATC: Affirmative. Vectors for runway 33.
Gol: I am seeing head winds of 130 knots on our displays, certainly wrong.
ATC: Definitely wrong. Your speed is stable at 265 varying 15 to 18 knots and altitude of 9100 feet. You have passed Congonhas and pass Guarulhos in a moment, expect lower shortly, distance to Kilo Papa is 35 miles.
Gol: Roger, thanks
ATC: Gol 1536, can you start descent to 070?
Gol: Descending to 070 Gol 1536
ATC: Affirmative.
Gol: Just to confirm we are crossing 085 at the moment?
ATC: Affirmative, speed 266
Gol: Roger, thanks
ATC: Distance to KP 28 miles
Gol: 28 miles, 1536
ATC: Gol 1536, 7500 feet, 282 knots.
Gol: down to 070, correct?
ATC: Affirmative, 070. Distance to KP 23 miles.
Gol: Roger
ATC: Gol 1536, adjust your altimeter 1008, cleared to descend to 6000 feet.
Gol: 6000.
ATC: Speed is increasing, 297.
Gol: Ok
ATC: Gol 1536 16 miles to KP, over Japi hills, descend to 5000 feet, Gol 1536
Gol: 5000, 1536
ATC: Speed 258, altitude 7000, ok?
Gol: Roger, descending to 5000.
ATC: Gol 1536, on my screen you have 8 miles to intercept long final, in a moment I'll have you turn left to heading 330 to align with the runway, maintain heading for now.
Gol: Maintaining 343, ready to turn.
ATC: Affirmative, cleared to descend to 5000 feet, Gol 1536
Gol: 5000, 1536
ATC: Gol 1536, cleared to 4500 feet.
Gol: Roger. Please confirm [current] altitude, 5800?
ATC: Affirmative, Speed 234
Gol: Roger
...
ATC: Gol 1536, you are cleared for the approach to runway 33.
Gol: Roger, thanks.
ATC: Continue descent to 3500 feet, still maintain present heading.
Gol: Roger, thanks
ATC: Gol 1536, turn left heading 335
Gol: 335, Gol 1536
ATC: As soon as you see the airport report please, winds 210 degrees 12 knots, speed 210 altitude 4800 feet
Gol: Roger, maintaing 4500
ATC: Descend to 3500, you are on the long final, slightly to the left, maintain present heading to align.
ATC: Gol 1536, now aligned, heading 330.
Gol: Roger. Altitude 4500
ATC: I have here 4300, 4200 now. Descend to 3500, check landing gear.
Gol: down and locked, 1536
ATC: Ground speed 172, ok? Falling to 169
Gol: Roger
ATC: You are aligned on my screen.
Gol: Roger, thanks 1536
ATC: now slightly right, 5 degrees left 1536
Gol: Roger 1536, we have the runway in sight, 1536
ATC: Roger, runway in sight. Landing gear checked, cleared to land, wind 210 degrees 8 knots, stay on frequency, report on ground, 1536.
Gol: Speed check, 137 now?
ATC: 139 according to my screen, altitude 3300 feet, already visual, cleared to land, report when on ground.
Gol: Will report on ground
ATC: Wind is 210 degrees at 8 knots
Gol: Roger, thanks
Gol: On the ground 1536. Thanks for your help, 1536
ATC: Affirm, call tower on 118.25, Good bye Sir
Gol: Thanks for your kindness
end of translation, end of transcript

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