The Incredible Story of the Airbus A330 Incident and the Mod Wasp Infestation

🐝The mod wasp infestation at Brisbane Airport posed a significant threat to aircraft safety.

🔧The recommendation to use pitot probe covers was not effectively communicated to the pilots and line maintenance engineers.

🚧Inattentional blindness and assumed visual patterns can lead to overlooking important details during pre-flight checks.

✈️The incident underscores the need for effective communication, adherence to safety protocols, and attention to detail in aviation.

🔄The incident also highlights the importance of continuous learning and improvement in safety practices.

What is a mod wasp?

—A mod wasp is a group of wasps known for building nests in small cavities, including aircraft pitot tubes.

How quickly can a mod wasp infest a pitot probe?

—Studies have shown that it can take as little as 20 minutes for a mod wasp to start building a nest in a pitot probe.

What are pitot probes used for?

—Pitot probes measure dynamic pressure (wind) and static pressure to calculate airspeed, an essential parameter for safe flight.

What is inattentional blindness?

—Inattentional blindness refers to not seeing something even when looking directly at it due to lack of attention or anticipation.

What can be done to prevent mod wasp infestations?

—Using pitot probe covers and implementing effective communication and maintenance protocols can help prevent mod wasp infestations.

00:00An Airbus A330 faces a problem with inoperable airspeed indicators caused by a mod wasp infestation.

04:24Brisbane Airport authorities couldn't eradicate the mod wasp infestation, so they recommended using pitot probe covers.

07:22The line maintenance engineers fitted pitot probe covers, but the information was not effectively communicated to the pilots.

08:59The captain's pre-flight walk around did not detect the pitot probe covers due to inattentional blindness.

11:41The pilots proceeded with the pre-flight tasks, unaware that the pitot probe covers were still installed.

43:35The aircraft experienced inoperable airspeed indicators during takeoff, leading to a challenging flight and emergency landing.

58:16The incident highlights the importance of effective communication, adherence to safety protocols, and attention to detail in aviation.

01:10:00Continuous learning and improvement in safety practices are crucial to prevent similar incidents in the future.