Author Topic: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing  (Read 2270 times)

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Offline EC

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Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« on: May 24, 2013, 08:35:12 am »
Via the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22652718

Quote
Passengers and crew were evacuated from the plane at about 09:00 BST

Both runways were closed at Heathrow Airport after a British Airways plane made an emergency landing, the airport has said.

All passengers and crew were "safely evacuated" from the plane following the incident at about 09:00 BST.

John Coghlan told the BBC he saw a "black smoke trail" from the engine of a British Airways Airbus A319.

He said: "[It was a] safe landing and passengers evacuated by chutes on runway." There was "no fire", he added.

London Fire Brigade tweeted: "One crew from Heathrow fire station is assisting Heathrow Airport's fire service with an aircraft fire.

"We believe the fire is now out."

The southern runway has since re-opened. The northern runway remains closed.

Just happened. The initial suspect is a flock of birds.
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Offline EC

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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2013, 09:44:28 am »
The story at the original link has now been expanded.
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Offline EC

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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2013, 11:47:48 am »
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22655866

You really need to see this video.
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Offline Rapunzel

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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2013, 10:46:27 pm »
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22655866

You really need to see this video.

Did the engine cowling come off inflight??? I've never seen it open like in this video.
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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2013, 10:52:12 pm »
Did the engine cowling come off inflight??? I've never seen it open like in this video.

It looks like an access panel popped loose from its lock.

Offline Atomic Cow

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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2013, 10:53:52 pm »
Did the engine cowling come off inflight??? I've never seen it open like in this video.

They lost parts of the cowling from both engines.  The engine what was shut down had a fuel line severed when the cowling tore away.  The second engine almost failed as well.
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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2013, 10:55:46 pm »
They lost parts of the cowling from both engines.  The engine what was shut down had a fuel line severed when the cowling tore away.  The second engine almost failed as well.

Sounds like it was either intentional or gross negligence on the part of the maintenance crew.

Offline Atomic Cow

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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2013, 10:57:07 pm »
Sounds like it was either intentional or gross negligence on the part of the maintenance crew.

Bird strike.
"...And these atomic bombs which science burst upon the world that night were strange, even to the men who used them."  H. G. Wells, The World Set Free, 1914

"The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections." -Lord Acton

Oceander

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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2013, 12:34:30 am »
Bird strike.

On both engines, on opposite sides of the aircraft, at once?

Offline Atomic Cow

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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2013, 12:43:18 am »
On both engines, on opposite sides of the aircraft, at once?

Don't forget about US Airways Flight 1549 that managed to successfully ditch in the Hudson after bird strikes took out both engines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Airways_Flight_1549

Same basic type of aircraft even.  US Airways 1549 was an A320.  This one today was an A319; a slightly shorter variant but otherwise identical.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2013, 12:44:40 am by Atomic Cow »
"...And these atomic bombs which science burst upon the world that night were strange, even to the men who used them."  H. G. Wells, The World Set Free, 1914

"The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections." -Lord Acton

Oceander

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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2013, 12:45:09 am »
Don't forget about US Airways Flight 1549 that managed to successfully ditch in the Hudson after bird strikes took out both engines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Airways_Flight_1549

Same basic type of aircraft even.  US Airways 1549 was an A320.  This one today was an A319; a slightly shorter variant but otherwise identical.

okey dokey.  You know more about these things than I do.

Offline Atomic Cow

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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #11 on: May 25, 2013, 12:57:23 am »
Sometimes all of my useless knowledge comes in handy.  :smokin:
"...And these atomic bombs which science burst upon the world that night were strange, even to the men who used them."  H. G. Wells, The World Set Free, 1914

"The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections." -Lord Acton

Offline Atomic Cow

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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #12 on: June 01, 2013, 05:58:28 pm »
Despite the original reports that it was a bird strike on both engines, looks like this one falls into the human error category.

Heathrow emergency landing: Engine doors 'left unlatched'

The doors on both engines of the flight that made an emergency landing at Heathrow last week had been left unlatched, investigators have found.

Air accident experts said the coverings - the fan cowl doors - broke off and punctured the right engine's fuel pipe, damaging the aircraft's systems.

A fire then broke out in the right engine of the Airbus A319 British Airways flight to Oslo.

The jet landed safely and its 75 passengers and crew were evacuated.

The aeroplane returned to Heathrow soon after taking off last Friday when black smoke was seen coming from an engine.

The findings were made in an interim report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), which is examining the cause of the emergency.
'Appropriate initial action'

The fire in the right engine broke out as the flight prepared to land, but the left engine was unaffected, the AAIB report said.

"Subsequent investigation revealed that the fan cowl doors on both engines were left unlatched during maintenance and this was not identified prior to aircraft departure," the report added.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-22732582

Someone is going to be looking for a job.
"...And these atomic bombs which science burst upon the world that night were strange, even to the men who used them."  H. G. Wells, The World Set Free, 1914

"The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections." -Lord Acton

Offline EC

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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #13 on: June 01, 2013, 06:48:03 pm »
Going to be more than one looking for a job.

One of the most vital things in aircraft is everything, and I mean everything, gets cross checked by at least two other people. That applies both in the air and on the ground. If the cowl access hatches were left unlatched, the entire team will get the sack.
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Offline Atomic Cow

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Re: Heathrow Airport runways closed for emergency landing
« Reply #14 on: June 01, 2013, 08:31:04 pm »
One of the most vital things in aircraft is everything, and I mean everything, gets cross checked by at least two other people. That applies both in the air and on the ground. If the cowl access hatches were left unlatched, the entire team will get the sack.

For sure, and perhaps even some supervisors even though they were not physically present with the aircraft.

This was a class 1 foul up and they're very lucky it didn't end with a pile of wreckage and a bunch of dead bodies.
"...And these atomic bombs which science burst upon the world that night were strange, even to the men who used them."  H. G. Wells, The World Set Free, 1914

"The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections." -Lord Acton