What plane ran out of fuel in the Atlantic Ocean?

Air Transat Flight 236 was a transatlantic flight bound for Lisbon, Portugal, from Toronto, Canada, that lost all engine power while flying over the Atlantic Ocean on August 24, 2001. The Airbus A330 ran out of fuel because of a fuel leak caused by improper maintenance.



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Air Transat Flight 236 was a transatlantic flight bound for Lisbon, Portugal, from Toronto, Canada, that lost all engine power while flying over the Atlantic Ocean on August 24, 2001. The Airbus A330 ran out of fuel because of a fuel leak caused by improper maintenance.

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On many larger commercial airplanes, a special nozzle is fitted to the wing. If a pilot deems it necessary, the system pumps fuel out of the nozzle into the atmosphere quickly – we're talking about a few tons per minute in most cases. It may look dramatic, but it's not a dangerous procedure.

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Since most twin jet airliners can meet these requirements, most aircraft of this type such as the Boeing 737 (all models), the DC-9/MD80/Boeing 717, the A320 family and various regional jet (RJ) aircraft do not have fuel dump systems installed.

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Pilot error causes SF-bound United flight to nearly plunge into ocean, NTSB says. (AP) — Federal investigators said Thursday that miscommunication between pilots led to a United Airlines jet diving within 748 feet (228 meters) of the ocean's surface shortly after takeoff from Hawaii in December.

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Airlines find that fuel dumping can actually be cheaper than not dumping in certain circumstances. But it's not something pilots do on a routine basis. We spoke with Alison Duquette, spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), who assured us that it doesn't happen very often.

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21 January 1939: An Imperial Airways Short S. 23 Empire (G-ADUU) ditched into the Atlantic Ocean after suffering a loss of power to its engines. 10 of the 13 people on board survived.

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Pilots are trained to shut outer air vents to prevent water from seeping in and aim for calm waters. They will do their best to keep the plane parallel to the waves and try to land tail down for a smoother landing. This is also to prevent the plane from breaking apart and ensure it will float.

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If the aircraft tried to land without dumping the fuel first, it is considered an overweight landing attempt and could place immense stress on the airframe. It could also increase the risk of fire and fuel leaking onto the tarmac.

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The engines of a four-engined aircraft are most commonly found in pods hanging from pylons underneath the wings. This can be observed in the Airbus A340, Airbus A380, and Boeing 747. Many military airlifters also feature this design, including the Antonov An-124, Boeing C-17 Globemaster, and Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.

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