Vaping Co-Pilot Causes Flight To Plummet 21,000 Feet

Air China plane

A terrifying few minutes on Air China flight CA106 from Hong Kong to Dalian was caused by the co-pilot's attempt to hide the fact that he was using an electronic cigarette while in the cockpit. The co-pilot tried to conceal his smoking and inadvertently turned off the air conditioning, which caused the oxygen levels to drop on the plane, according to the BBC

When the oxygen levels started dropping, the oxygen masks deployed in the cabin and the crew was forced to drop the plane 21,000 feet. After the quick descent, the pilot realized the issue, turned the air conditioning unit back on and returned to cruising altitude.

Nobody on the plane was injured and the flight continued to Dalian, China without further incident. 

The Global Times reports that the Civil Aviation Administration of China revoked the co-pilot's license and fired the entire crew as part of their "zero tolerance" towards safety violations.

Photo: Getty Images


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content