Source: Simon Hradecky | www.avherald.com

An Austrian Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration OE-LBE performing flight OS-229 from Vienna (Austria) to Berlin (Germany), was climbing out of Vienna’s runway 16 when the crew stopped the climb at about FL160, donned their oxygen masks and decided to return to Vienna reporting smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft landed safely on runway 11 about 19 minutes after departure.

A passenger reported there was a sudden intense odour of burnt plastics, the captain subsequently also announced (audibly on oxygen mask) there was a smell of burnt plastics originating from a failed avionics blower fan. Cabin crew acted very professionally and calmly. The odour subsided while the aircraft positioned for landing, the aircraft was received by emergency services.

The airline reported the aircraft returned due to smoke in the cockpit, the crew donned their oxygen masks. A failed fan was the cause of the smoke. The passengers were rebooked onto a later flight, the aircraft to perform that flight OS-235 was upgraded to a Boeing 777.