Incident Summary
On January 8th, 2025, an Air Astana Airbus A321-200, registration EI-KGK, operating flight KC-915 from Almaty, Kazakhstan, to Antalya, Turkey, experienced a technical malfunction involving the relief valve in the center fuel tank. The issue was identified at an altitude of FL320 approximately 100 nautical miles east of Aktau, Kazakhstan. The crew elected to divert to Aktau, safely landing on runway 11 about 25 minutes after initiating the descent.
The airline confirmed that the relief valve in the center fuel tank had failed, prompting the precautionary diversion. Despite the technical issue, the aircraft landed under normal operating conditions, and no injuries or further complications were reported.
Technical Analysis
The Airbus A321’s center fuel tank relies on relief valves to regulate pressure and prevent structural damage during fuel expansion or transfer. A failure in the relief valve could result in excessive pressure buildup, potentially compromising the tank’s structural integrity or impairing fuel management. In this incident, the failure was detected in-flight, leading the crew to prioritize safety by diverting to the nearest suitable airport.
Initial Findings
• Issue Identified: Relief valve failure in the center fuel tank.
• Crew Actions: The issue was promptly identified and reported, leading to a controlled descent and diversion to Aktau.
• Aircraft Condition: The aircraft landed without further incident, indicating that the fuel system’s redundancy and the crew’s adherence to procedures prevented escalation.
• Operational Impact: The aircraft remained on the ground at Aktau for 13 hours as maintenance teams assessed and addressed the fault.
Recommendations and Next Steps
1. Component Examination: The faulty relief valve should be thoroughly inspected to determine the root cause of the failure, such as material fatigue, contamination, or manufacturing defects.
2. Inspection of Similar Aircraft: Air Astana’s fleet of Airbus A321 aircraft should undergo targeted inspections to verify the functionality of relief valves and ensure there are no systemic issues.
3. Crew Training Reinforcement: This incident highlights the importance of quick decision-making and adherence to standard operating procedures, emphasizing the need for continuous training and scenario simulations.
4. OEM Consultation: Airbus and component manufacturers should be consulted to review design tolerances and assess the need for modifications or enhanced maintenance protocols.
Conclusion
This incident underscores the criticality of fuel system integrity in ensuring flight safety. While the aircraft’s systems and crew effectively mitigated the risks associated with the relief valve failure, the investigation’s findings will contribute to refining maintenance practices and operational standards to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Disclaimer
This investigation report is based on information available at the time of writing. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the conclusions are subject to revision pending further findings. If you are the rightful owner of any images used or have concerns, please contact takedown@cockpitking.com.
