LATAM flight returns Sao Paulo after cargo compartment smoke indication

A LATAM Brazil flight from São Paulo Congonhas bound for Fortaleza, Brazil made a precautionary diversion to São Paulo Guarulhos after flight crew received a cargo compartment smoke indication not long after departure last week.

LATAM Brazil flight LA3184, an Airbus A319 operating the scheduled service from São Paulo/Congonhas Airport (CGH) to Fortaleza–Pinto Martins International Airport (FOR), Brazil was the subject of an after takeoff incident on Wednesday, February 14.

LATAM LA3184 São Paulo-Fortaleza

The aircraft had made a normal departure out of CGH and had climbed to cruising level FL210 (21,000 feet) when flight crew received a smoke indication from a cargo compartment.

Commencing a descent, the flight declared an emergency with transponder code 7700 and negotiated a diversion to the nearby airport of Guarulhos (GRU).

The flight subsequently made an uneventful return landing at CGH approximately 30 minutes after initial departure.

No Evidence of Fire

It is understood that a subsequent investigation of the aircraft’s cargo compartments did not reveal any abnormality or evidence of fire.

The aircraft conducting last week’s subject LA3184 regional service to Fortaleza was an Airbus A319-100 registered PT-TPB; an 11-year old narrowbody aircraft belonging to the carrier LATAM Brazil.

The aircraft initially entered service with the carrier on 29 May 2022 on transfer from LATAM Airlines Chile, where it previously saw operational service from May 2016.

LATAM Brazil

LATAM Airlines Brasil, formerly TAM Linhas Aéreas, is the Brazilian brand of LATAM Airlines Group operating international and domestic flights from hubs in Rio, São Paulo, and Brasília. It is the largest airline in Brazil and one of the major airlines in South America.

The carrier operates from a range of hubs, which include the departure and arrival airports for the flight in question – São Paulo/Congonhas Airport (CGH) and Fortaleza–Pinto Martins International Airport (FOR) as well as the diversion airport São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU).


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