On Dec. 23, 2024, a Swiss-operated Airbus A220-300 experienced an engine malfunction and cabin smoke incident while en route from Bucharest, Romania, to Zurich. The aircraft, carrying 74 passengers and five crew members, declared an emergency and diverted to Graz Airport in Austria.
The cockpit crew identified the first indications of an engine abnormality through alerts from the Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS). Two minutes later, smoke was detected in the cockpit, prompting the crew to declare an emergency.
According to the preliminary report, the left Pratt & Whitney PW1000G engine was subsequently shut down midflight according to established procedures. Smoke permeated both the cockpit and the cabin during this incident.
With one engine inoperable, the crew made a safe landing in Graz. An evacuation was performed on the runway using four of the six available exits.
Following the incident, all crew members and several passengers were transported to the hospital for medical evaluation. One cabin crew member succumbed to injuries on Dec. 30, 2024, with his death attributed to brain damage resulting from lack of oxygen, Swiss media reported.
The preliminary investigation found damage to the left engine’s front drive gear system and bearings. Further metallurgical testing and analysis are ongoing. The flight data recorder, cockpit voice recorder, and aircraft health monitoring system data are being analyzed as part of the investigation.
The report notes that all required maintenance had been performed on the engine prior to the incident flight. The engine had been manufactured in July 2021 and installed on this aircraft in July 2024.
Investigators are examining the crew’s use of protective breathing equipment during the smoke event. The emergency evacuation procedures and equipment are also being reviewed, including why two of the six exits were not used.
The investigation is continuing, with participation from aviation authorities in Austria, Switzerland, Canada, and the United States. Austria’s Sicherheitsuntersuchungsstelle (SUB) is leading the investigation.
