Heathrow Airport Crash Investigation
Investigations have begun to try and find out why a British Airways Boeing 777 airliner crash-landed at London Heathrow Airport on 17th January.
Staff from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) hope to present an inital report into the cause of the accident within 48 hours.
Eyewitnesses described how the aircraft, on arrival from Beijing, landed short of the airport's southern runway, just inside the perimeter fence and only yards from a busy dual carriageway. The aircraft then skidded across the grass and tarmac before coming to rest at the end of the runway.
The main undercarriage was torn from the aircraft, and the 777 also sustaining damage to its wings and engines.
All 136 passengers and 16 crew evacuated the aircraft quickly, with only 18 passengers being treated for minor injuries such as whiplash.
The AAIB is now checking the aircraft's flight data and cockpit voice recorders at its Farnborough headquarters. In accordance with their procedures, they said they will deliver a more detailed, preliminary report into the accident within 30 days, with a fuller report following.
Spokesmen from Boeing, the manufacturer of the aircraft, and Rolls-Royce, who produced the aircraft's engines, said their companies would be providing assistance to the AAIB investigation where required.
BA named the pilot of the aircraft as 43 year-old Captain Peter Burkill, who has worked for the airline for 20 years.
On Friday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown - whose departure to China from Heathrow was delayed by the accident - praised the "professionalism" of the pilot and the crew.
He said: "I think it's right to pay tribute to the calmness and professionalism of the British Airways staff and the Captain and what he achieved in landing the aircraft It's at times like these you remember you are in the hands of staff who do a remarkable job."
BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh said the crew were "heroes", adding "everyone at British Airways is proud of them".
Crash Landing Accident Theories Circulate
In the aftermath of the accident, a number of theories emerged as to why the dramatic accident occurred.
Aviation experts commented that possible causes included mechanical or electronic failure of the aircraft, pilot error, or a birdstrike.
An airport worker at Heathrow told the BBC that in the aftermath of the accident, the Captain told him that he had "lost power" as he came into land.
Other sources were suggesting that the engines had failed on the aircraft.
Both BA and the British Airports Authority (BAA), which operates Heathrow, refused to speculate about possible causes of the accident.
Spokesmen from both the airline and the airport said comments regarding the crash should be left to the AAIB.
The AAIB added that they have appointed Robin Tydeman, a former Royal Air Force and commercial pilot, as the investigator in charge.
Passengers Recount Drama of Landing
In the hours after the incident, passengers from the aircraft recounted their experiences.
Jason Johnson said: "We came in very, very fast. It's something I've never been in before. Once it landed, it spun 90 degrees. I felt like I was in a washing machine. The plane then came to a complete halt. We were told by the hostesses: 'Please evacuate, follow our guidance'."
Paul Ventner told reporters: "[When] we came in to land, I could hear the undercarriage come out and the next moment the plane just dropped."
Antonio De Crescenzo added: "It felt very sudden. Some people started to scream. It was quite terrifying although people seemed to be quite calm."
Another passenger, Jerome Ensinck, said "there was no indication that we were going to have a bad landing. When we hit the ground, it was extremely rough, but I've had rough landings before and I thought 'This is the roughest I've had'."
The crash landing was the first serious accident involving the Boeing 777 since its introduction into service just over a decade ago.
BA commented that they would not be grounding any of the other 777's in their fleet.
Source - Airport International's London Reporter
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