2018-05-14
C-FIVQ, a Boeing 777-300 aircraft operated by Air Canada, was conducting flight ACA881 from Paris/Charles de Gaulle, France (LFPG) to Toronto/Lester B. Pearson Intl, ON (CYYZ) with 12 crew members and 249 passengers on board. As the aircraft was being pushed back from the gate at LFPG, Apron Control observed smoke and flames coming from the APU area, and dispatched ARFF. When attending to the aircraft, ARFF sprayed the fire retardant to the affected section. Although there was no APU fire warning, the flight crew discharged the APU fire extinguisher out of precaution.
Passengers were deplaned from the aircraft. There were no injuries and no damage to the aircraft. Upon preliminary inspection, the operator’s maintenance found the APU oil level to be empty due to a leak.
It was later determined that the flames and smoke were from the APU tailpipe, and not the APU compartment.