HEATHROW CRASH

Heathrow Crash: Fault 'Not Covered By Rules'


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Buzz Up! Print StorySafety requirements did not cover the ice problem which caused a plane to crash-land at Heathrow two years ago, according to an official report into the accident. Skip related content
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Heathrow Crash: 'Ice Not Covered By Rules'
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The crash of the British Airways 777 on January 17, 2008 came after the plane lost power due to a restricted fuel flow to both engines, a final report from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said.

The AAIB concluded that it was probable that the engine fuel flow restriction was caused by a build-up of ice within the fuel system.

The AAIB said: "Certification requirements, with which the aircraft and engine fuel system had to comply, did not take account of this phenomenon as the risk was unrecognised at that time."

The report added that research in the 1950s had identified the problem of ice formation in fuel systems from dissolved or trapped water, but did not identify the scenario of accumulated ice release and subsequent restriction to fuel flow.

Having lost power the BA plane, carrying 136 passengers from Beijing, came down within the airfield boundary at Heathrow but 330 metres short of the runway.

The jet slid 372 metres on its undercarriage before coming to rest.

The left main landing gear (MLG) collapsed and the right MLG separated from the plane. All the passengers were safely evacuated, with one passenger breaking a leg.

All told, 34 passengers and 12 cabin crew suffered minor injuries, mainly to the back and neck.

The report said that the cabin crew, led by Captain Peter Burkill, had become aware of a possible engine thrust problem just 43 seconds from touchdown.

Losing speed, the crew tried to increase engine thrust but there was no response from the engines. With a touchdown short of the runway inevitable, a Mayday call was put out three seconds before touchdown.

The AAIB made a total of 18 safety recommendations including some which address plane "crashworthiness", the ability of an aircraft to withstand an accident.

A British Airways spokesman said: "We welcome this final report. The crew of BA38 did a fantastic job in extremely difficult circumstances."

BA added that although there were no specific safety recommendations for the airline, it had worked with the relevant authorities and manufacturers "to ensure that the highest safety levels are maintained".