Coffee Spill in Cockpit Prompts Emergency Plane Landing

An Airbus A330 traveling from Frankfurt, Germany to Cancun, Mexico was forced to make an emergency landing in Shannon, Ireland earlier this year when a cup of hot coffee spilled over the cockpit control panel.

Citing a report from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), The Guardian reported that the incident occurred on a Condor flight on February 6 and that no injuries were reported.

The flight was carrying 326 people over the Atlantic Ocean when the spill caused a strong electrical burning smell and smoke in the cockpit.

“After the aircraft was fully inspected and repaired by our team of engineers, the flight continued via Manchester due to the legal operating hours of the crew. We have comprehensively investigated this incident and reviewed the procedures of liquids in the cockpit,” a Condor spokeswoman told The Guardian.

“Our crews were reminded of [the need for] careful handling as well as to use appropriate containers for their water or coffee. We apologize for any inconveniences the diversion might have caused to our guests.”

The report said that the 49-year-old pilot put his coffee cup on a tray table without a lid rather than place it in a cup holder.