Cargolux Boeing 747-400 Experiences Engine Fire Warning In China

A Cargolux Boeing 747-400 was forced to return to Zhengzhou, China, after facing a fire warning. The freighter aircraft was en route to Chicago and was only an hour into the flight before turning back. Let’s find out more.

The Cargolux 747 remains on the ground in Zhengzhou almost 48 hours since the incident. Photo: Getty Images

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Cargolux flight CV9763 departed in Zhengzhou International Airport at 16:50 local time, 10 minutes ahead of schedule, on its way to Chicago O’Hare. There were no issues in the early minutes of the flight, with the aircraft increasing altitude and reach 6,000ft. However, the 747-400 began slowing down during its climb and then decided to turn around at 6,125ft.

According to AvHerald, this was due to a fire indication in one of the Rolls-Royce engines onboard. In line with protocol, the 747 quickly made a sharp turn, declaring an emergency and returning to Zhengzhou Airport. Flight data for this service is incomplete but highlights the return of the plane.

The aircraft quickly turned around after detecting the possible fire onboard. Map: RadarBox.com

From there, it was a quick journey back to its departure airport and aircraft landed safely at 18:43 local time. The flight was one hour and 52 minutes long, with the return leg being flown at a lower altitude of 3,000ft for most of the time. However, due to limited flight data, altitude and timings may vary.

Stuck

The aircraft involved in this incident is one of Cargolux’s 16 Boeing 747-400Fs. LX-GCL, nicknamed the ‘City of Sandweiler,’ is 16.5 years old and joined the cargo airline’s fleet in August 2016. Before that, the aircraft flew for Cathay Pacific Cargo from February 2005 to January 2014, according to ch-aviation. After two years on the ground, it returned to service with Cargolux.

The aircraft even carrier Cathay’s signature light green stripe before reverting to Carglux’s standard red livery. Photo: Kwok Ho Eddie Wong via Flickr

This isn’t the first time LX-GCL has faced engine problems. According to AvHerald, the aircraft faced an engine issue in October 2017 and was forced to dump fuel and return to its origin airport of Chicago. The incident has been resolved and the plane has been in service problem-free for nearly four years since.

Data shows that LX-GCL is still stood in Zhengzhou almost two days after the incident. It is likely undergoing checks before it can return to active service and begin flying once again.

Hub

Cargolux operates a hub in Zhengzhou International Airport after the Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment purchased a 35% stake, previously owned by Qatar Airways. From the Henan province, Cargolux flies to destinations in the US, Canada, Russia, the UK, Japan, and it’s home in Luxemburg.

One of Cargolux’s 747-8s is named the ‘City of Zhengzhou,’ a first after naming aircraft it flies only after cities in Luxemburg or important events. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

LX-GCL will return to the skies in the coming days or weeks, depending on the damage to the aircraft. Depending on if it was the presence of a fire, requiring significant fixes, or just a faulty warning, expect an investigation in the near future.

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