On Nov 21, 1996, ParadisePacific flight 972 started to prepare for a passenger flight from Wright Airport to Avalanche Island with a stopover at Yeager.
The plane is a Boeing 747-200B.
The plane contains 12,000lbs of clothes and 10,000lbs of electric heaters for a campaign in Yeager for the homeless when they land.
The captain is 70-year-old, John Hando. He has worked with the airline for 30 years and has about 32,000 hours in the 747.
The F/O is 43 year-old, Quincy Munson. He has worked with the airline for 11 years and has only about 1,100 hours in the 747.
The F/E is 56 year-old, Victor Reed. He has worked with the airline for a mear 6 years. This is his first flight back after taking sick leave for 9 months. His hours on this plane is unknown.
The relief pilot is 32 year-old, Winny Chain. He has worked with this airline for 12 years and has about 1,800 hours on the plane.
There is 266 passengers and 9 crew (counting the 4 in the cockpit).
The plane is then cleared for taxi to the runway.
[ATC]: ParadisePacific 972, taxi to runway 18 and wait for further instructions.
[Cap to ATC]: Understood, ParadisePacific 972.
Once the plane got to the runway, and the checklists were filled, the ATC gave them the clear.
[ATC]: PP 972, you are cleared for takeoff and climb to 7,000 ft.
[Cap to ATC]: Roger, ParadisePacific 972.
Cap: Full Power.
At 7,000 feet...
[Compartment A Fire Alarm sounds.]
Cap: Go check it out, ill call an emergency.
But just after this, the plane crossed the no communication zone, entering the the Wright Sea.
Then, the First Officer comes back covered in soot.
F/O: Fire is spreading further in Compartment A. We need to land now or the clothes with catch fire and people will die!
Then, the fire burns through the fuselage and spreads to the right wing, miraculously not blowing the whole plane up.
[F/E]: Engine 3 fire.
Cap: Ok, shutting off 3.
F/O: Radioing another plane.
The F/O radios a TransWright 737-200 in the area.
[PP 972 to TW 61]: Could you please come up to the plane and see if things are ok out there?
[TW 61]: Coming out there.
The TransWright plane comes up and gives a report on what happening.
[TW 61 to PP 972]: Your right wing is on fire. I am advising you to extinguish engine 3.
Cap: Roger. pulls fire handle 3
When he did this, most of the fire went out, but left very bad structural damage and the fire inside raged on and spread into the passenger cabin.
But, the Jumbo Jet finally left the No Communication zone and now the Captain can declare an emergency.
[Cap to Yeager ATC]: [Compartment B fire alarm blaring in the background] Mayday, Mayday! We have fire in compartment A-
F/O: B too!
Cap: Oh cmon!
[Cap to ATC]: A and B!
[ATC]: Understood, emergency services on their way.
Cap: Downing oxygen masks.
F/O: Come with me Handy. Chain, take over.
[R/F]: Got it.
While the Captain and the First Officer tried to put out the fire in the cargo hold and passenger cabin, the relief pilot circled around the sea to dump fuel and landed safely at Yeager.
Out of the 275 people (266 passengers and 9 crew), 210 survive (201 passengers and 9 crew). Most of the people died from burns and smoke inhalation.
Investigation at 2am in my time!!!