Oil Mist Prompts Scrutiny
Aviation Week & Space Technology   05/19/03

 The FAA may issue an airworthiness directive, or take other
"appropriate" action as early as this week in response to an incident on
America West Flight 44, where an oil mist filled the passenger cabin of an Airbus A319 and prompted a diversion.

John McCarthy, an atmospheric scientist who helped unravel the
mysteries of microbursts and wind shear, happened to be a passenger on the
flight. He heard several thumps that got his attention, followed by a loud bang, and
then the cabin filled with oil mist so thick he was not able to see the
oxygen masks drop down. At first he thought it was dense smoke, but later learned it was an oil mist.

The incident was first reported in the Washington Post. An
International Aero Engines (IAE) official acknowledged that the problem
could be related to the No. 3 bearing on the V2500 engines on the aircraft, but this won't be confirmed until the engine is inspected. This is the second oil-mist
incident on the V2500 and America West has had three other problems. IAE issued two service bulletins on the bearing problem last year, and sent a caution on oil mist
and prevention to all operators last week.

The pilots donned oxygen masks, shut down the affected engine and
diverted to St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Some reports indicate
they had difficulty seeing the cockpit instruments. McCarthy said it took only
about 12 min. to get the aircraft on the ground from its 37,000-ft. altitude, but that for the first 5 min. there was a dense fog and pandemonium in the cabin as the
passengers thought the situation was dire. He said he didn't experience any
breathing problems but that "it was quite an alarming experience, to put it
mildly."