EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Evacuated
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
Flight completed and parked at gate with seatbelt sign off and cockpit door unlocked. As cockpit crew was about to start Parking Checklist I noticed a bright orange flash over my left shoulder. I turned to see the jet bridge bathed in orange flickering light for at least a few seconds. This was followed by a cloud of black smoke which obscured vision through the back half of the side window. I also immediately noticed one ramper who was closer to the nose; frozen with a look of panic and his arms moving about. I turned to the First Officer and indicated that we had a fire somewhere under/forward of the flight deck. I asked if he saw any smoke on his side. As the jet bridge was not attached and there was no agent there to move it; I decided it was safest to evacuate the aircraft. The cockpit door was open and I turned to Flight Attendant-A and said; 'On fire; evacuate now.' I told the First Officer to go back and assist. I made a PA to initiate evacuation; however during the stress of the moment I believe I made the announcement on a com radio before realizing I could not hear myself on the PA. I fixed the error and made the PA again; 'This is the Captain; evacuate; evacuate NOW.' I noticed an acid-type odor emanating from the center instrument panel area. I then had to select radio page on MCDU; enter OPS freq; and announced we were evacuating; on fire; and needed assistance.  It was about this time the First Officer came back into the flight deck and said something about the 1R door malfunctioning and all the passengers having their carry on luggage hindering evacuation. We made additional PA's to the effect of 'leave everything and go to the exit.' At this time I could see numerous ramp personal directing passengers promptly up the jet bridge stairs and directed the First Officer to stay aboard and help.  A very short time later; possibly under a minute; I was working through QRC actions when Flight Attendant-A advised that all passengers were off. I asked her to double-check the cabin; get her jacket and told her I'll meet her upstairs. By this time the aircraft was powered down and the First Officer and I were about to leave when we confirmed with the numerous ground personnel that there was no visible fire. I walked through the cabin to confirm empty and then we elected to stay aboard to assist in getting the jet-way attached. We contacted Dispatch first; whom notified Operations; and called the Duty Manager immediately thereafter. Maintenance was there within minutes and assisted verbally in detaching the 1L slide; the jet-bridge was attached and CFR personnel arrived shortly thereafter. While attaching the jet-bridge I yelled across about the passengers and was assured they were ok in the terminal boarding lounge with no injuries reported. Company personnel took charge of the passengers and the flight crew stayed with the Maintenance & CFR personnel. Soon thereafter I made an entry in the aircraft's logbook and was then instructed to stay off the aircraft by CFR personnel. I was questioned by Fire Department officers whom were trying to ascertain if the fire could still be burning inside the nose somewhere. At this point we gathered our belongings and entered the terminal. We made verbal contact with the Assistant Chief Pilot whom assisted our crew for the drug tests.The ground crew plugged in the GPU while the system was on MEL. We could have re-confirmed with Ops in-range that the system was inop and not to plug in power. Evacuation- Seatbelt sign was off thus: Passengers were standing up with their luggage blocking access to the isle. Passengers were probably talking on phones or otherwise distracted and not listening to initial evacuation commands. The carry-on luggage was a large distraction and there was a pile of luggage in the forward cabin. 1R door malfunctioned and had to be forced open distracting the Flight Attendant-A from her duties.
After landing; the Captain taxied to and parked the aircraft at the gate. Shortly after the Captain set the parking brake and turned off the 'Fasten Seat Belt' sign; I heard an unusual sound from the left side of the aircraft and observed a bright flash of orange and yellow flame through the Captain's side vision window. A plume of black and grey smoke immediately emanated from that same area of the aircraft. At this time; the Captain verbalized the presence of a fire and commanded an immediate evacuation of the aircraft. I exited the flight deck and immediately encountered a partially blocked flight deck doorway and forward galley area. Ground employees were at the bottom of the slide; assisting passengers as they evacuated the aircraft. I returned to the flight deck; advised the Captain of the situation in the cabin; and I made an additional PA to the passengers directing them to leave their baggage on the aircraft and evacuate immediately. The Captain advised me to remain on board the aircraft and assist with the evacuation from the galley. I returned to the forward galley and observed the evacuated passengers' baggage which was quickly increasing in number and beginning to block the forward galley as more passengers arrived at the main boarding door with their baggage. I repositioned the baggage to facilitate the passengers' escape route. As the final passenger evacuated the aircraft; the flight attendants also evacuated. At this time; aircraft Maintenance personnel and airport fire department personnel had arrived and determined the fire had been contained and extinguished and that there was no longer a need for the Captain and I to evacuate. The Captain and I were asked by the Fire Commander and aircraft Maintenance personnel to disengage the evacuation slide from the main cabin door in order for the gate agent to position the jetbridge to the aircraft. Once the jetbridge was in place; I deplaned and conducted a post flight walk around of the aircraft. The walk around revealed severe fire damage to the area of the AC GPU Service Panel located directly below the Captain's side vision window. At the completion of the walk around; I met with the Captain and the flight attendants on the jet bridge. We reported to the crew room at the direction of the Assistant Chief Pilot. I was directed to submit to a DOT Drug Analysis and I complied with the request. The aircraft AC GPU Service Panel had been the subject of previous aircraft maintenance logbook discrepancy entries. That system was MEL'd and placarded as inoperative at the time of the incident. The fire occurred when ground personnel attempted to connect the GPU to the AC GPU Service Panel receptacle. As a preventative measure; ensure positive communication between Maintenance Control and the airline partner; to ensure ramp and ground handling personnel are fully aware of any mechanical issues regarding specific aircraft within the aircraft fleet that may cause a hazard to personnel along with any special procedures for servicing the aircraft while respecting the restrictions of the specific MEL.
EMB-175 flight crew reports a bright orange flash as the ground crew attempts to connect ground power to the aircraft. The ground power service panel had been placarded as inoperative and MEL'd. Since the jetway is not up to the aircraft and the gate agent is not in sight; the Captain orders an evacuation which is successfully accomplished without injuries.