Toronto flight with 89 passengers forced to return to Pearson Airport

A Toronto flight with 89 passengers onboard was forced to return to Pearson Airport shortly after takeoff due to a hydraulic issue. 

The incident, which occurred on Oct. 1, was documented in a video uploaded by YouTube aviation channel, You can see ATC, which regularly posts audio between air traffic controllers and flight crews. 

The aircraft, an Airbus A319 flying Air Canada Rouge's ROU1711 route, departed Pearson Airport after 9 a.m. The aircraft began its journey to New Orleans International Airport but experienced mechanical issues shortly after takeoff.

The flight crew quickly reported a hydraulic issue, and the aircraft's acent was stopped at 7,000 feet, with pilots requesting to stay in the vicinity of Pearson Airport. "We're having a hydraulic system issue," the pilot told air traffic controllers. "We might be returning to Toronto." 

Just a few minutes later, the flight crew declares PAN-PAN and requests to return to Pearson, specifically asking air traffic controllers for clearance to land at the airport's longest available runway.

The term PAN-PAN is used in navigation communications to signify an urgency on board a boat, ship, or, in this case, an aircraft, and is most often used when there is a state of urgency. Unlike the more urgent and well-known "Mayday" calls, PAN-PAN is used for incidents that do not pose an immediate danger to a person's life.

"I'd like to make it official: PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN. Rouge 1711, we have lost hydraulic green pressure. We're going to return back to Toronto. We'll need about 20 minutes just to run some checklists and some performance numbers," the pilot says. 

The flight crew then confirms there are 89 passengers, eight tonnes of fuel, and no hazardous materials on board. The aircraft continues to loop several times over Mississauga and Brampton, before landing back at Pearson Airport at 10:05 a.m. on runway 05.

Due to a lack of nose steering, likely related to the reported hydraulic failure, the plane then remained on the runway for approximately 33 minutes before airport crews could arrive to tow the disabled aircraft back to the gate.

The audio quickly garnered thousands of views, with many commending the flight crew and air traffic controllers for maintaining calm communication through the stressful ordeal. 

"Fantastically clear and professional communications.  Both the pilot and controller spoke clearly and provided each other all the right information.  Makes you wonder why every interaction can't be like this," one person wrote. 

"Textbook example of how to handle a situation," another said. 

blogTO has reached out to Air Canada for more information regarding the incident.