Captain Peter Burkill to resume flying for British Airways

by B. N. Sullivan

Captain Peter Burkill, who was the commander of the British Airways Boeing 777-236ER that crash landed at London's Heathrow International Airport in January of 2008 will soon return to work as a pilot for the airline.  The aircraft, operating as British Airways Flight 038, was arriving at Heathrow from Beijing when itt experienced an uncommanded loss of thrust in both engines.  The aircraft (registration G-YMMM) landed short of Heathrow's runway 27L.  The plane was damaged beyond repair, but all 16 crew members and 136 passengers survived.

After a lengthy investigation, the UK's Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) determined that ice had formed within the fuel system and had obstructed fuel flow to the engines during the approach to Heathrow, causing the dual engine rollback and subsequent failure to respond to throttle inputs.

The actions of the crew in the face of such an unprecedented emergency saved the lives of all on board.  The AAIB report concluded that it was Capt. Burkill's split-second decision to reduce the flap setting that had allowed the aircraft to avoid colliding with an ILS antenna and to land as near to the runway threshold as it did.  All of the flight's three pilots and 13 cabin crew were awarded the British Airways Safety Medal for their actions that day.

Nevertheless, several months after the accident, Capt. Burkill took voluntary redundancy and left the British Airways.  Unfortunately, he was unable to find an appropriate position elsewhere.  Capt. Burkill and his wife told the tale of the events surrounding the accident and its aftermath, and the effects on their lives in a book called "Thirty Seconds to Impact," published earlier this year.

Now, nearly three years after the accident, Capt. Burkill is preparing to return to work at British Airways.  Yesterday he posted a message on his blog, which said in part:

I am delighted that the discussions with British Airways, have come to a mutually, happy conclusion. In my opinion British Airways is the pinnacle of any pilots' career and it is my honour and privilege to be returning to an airline that I joined as a young man.

He also expressed "thanks for all the support we have been given over the past couple of years, from family, friends, colleagues and strangers. We are looking forward to resuming a 'normal' life and anonymity once again!"

Godspeed, Peter Burkill.

NOTE:  Click here to view all posts on Aircrew Buzz about British Airways Flt 038.

Final report on 2008 British Airways Boeing 777 accident at Heathrow

by B. N. Sullivan

The United Kingdom's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has released the final report on the investigation of the 2008 accident involving a British Airways Boeing 777-236ER (registration number G-YMMM) at London's Heathrow International Airport (LHR). On January 17, 2008, British Airways Flight BA 038 landed short of runway runway 27L at LHR after both of the aircraft's engines failed to respond to throttle inputs while the aircraft was on final approach. The aircraft was arriving at Heathrow on a scheduled flight from Beijing. There were no fatalities or serious injuries among the 136 passengers and 16 crew members on board.

The newly released report, which is lengthy and very complex, includes detailed analyses and 18 safety recommendations. Here is an excerpt from the AAIB's report synopsis, including statements regarding probable cause:

Whilst on approach to London (Heathrow) from Beijing, China, at 720 feet agl, the right engine of G-YMMM ceased responding to autothrottle commands for increased power and instead the power reduced to 1.03 Engine Pressure Ratio (EPR). Seven seconds later the left engine power reduced to 1.02 EPR. This reduction led to a loss of airspeed and the aircraft touching down some 330 m short of the paved surface of Runway 27L at London Heathrow. The investigation identified that the reduction in thrust was due to restricted fuel flow to both engines.

It was determined that this restriction occurred on the right engine at its Fuel Oil Heat Exchanger (FOHE). For the left engine, the investigation concluded that the restriction most likely occurred at its FOHE. However, due to limitations in available recorded data, it was not possible totally to eliminate the possibility of a restriction elsewhere in the fuel system, although the testing and data mining activity carried out for this investigation suggested that this was very unlikely. Further, the likelihood of a separate restriction mechanism occurring within seven seconds of that for the right engine was determined to be very low.

The investigation identified the following probable causal factors that led to the fuel flow restrictions:

1. Accreted ice from within the fuel system1 released, causing a restriction to the engine fuel flow at the face of the FOHE, on both of the engines.
2. Ice had formed within the fuel system, from water that occurred naturally in the fuel, whilst the aircraft operated with low fuel flows over a long period and the localised fuel temperatures were in an area described as the ‘sticky range’.
3. The FOHE, although compliant with the applicable certification requirements, was shown to be susceptible to restriction when presented with soft ice in a high concentration, with a fuel temperature that is below ‑10°C and a fuel flow above flight idle.
4. Certification requirements, with which the aircraft and engine fuel systems had to comply, did not take account of this phenomenon as the risk was unrecognised at that time.

Of particular interest to crew members is the section of the report that discusses the actions of the pilots in the final moments of the accident flight. Quoting from the AAIB report:

Final approach

The right engine ceased responding to autothrottle demands 57 seconds before the touchdown and within seconds the crew became aware that there was a problem with the engine thrust control of both engines. This presented the flight crew with a situation that was highly unusual, for which no specific training existed.

The rollback event occurred whilst the aircraft was close to the ground, leaving the crew very little time to react. The commander did make a ‘MAYDAY’ call during this period but he was not able, in the time available, to brief the cabin crew about the emergency or issue a ‘brace brace’ command.

Actions of the co-pilot

The co-pilot initially believed he had disconnected the autopilot at the intended height on the approach in order to carry out a manual landing on Runway 27L. However, as the aircraft descended through 600 ft he became aware of a problem with the engines, indicated by a split in the thrust lever positions. It is likely that, in attempting to understand the sudden and unprecedented problem with which he was presented he was distracted and thus omitted to disconnect the autopilot at this point.

Engine power had now reduced to a level at which the aircraft was losing airspeed and it started to descend below the glideslope. As the autopilot had remained engaged it attempted to maintain the ILS glide path by increasing the aircraft’s pitch attitude. This led to a further gradual reduction of airspeed, the initial ‘airspeed low’ master caution and the eventual triggering of the stall warning stick shaker. It was at this stage the co-pilot promptly pushed the control column forward, leading to the disconnect of the autopilot as overriding force was applied to the column to avoid the stall. However, the aircraft was now only 150 ft above the ground and a landing short of the runway surface was inevitable. At this point there was insufficient height available for the aircraft to develop the airspeed needed for a landing flare, to reduce the high rate of descent.

Actions of the commander

The commander, on realising that he was unable to obtain any additional thrust from the engines, attempted to reduce the drag of the aircraft by reducing the flap setting. However, the aircraft was now so close to the ground that there was little time for the beneficial affects of this action to take effect.

The action of reducing the flap setting was prompt and resulted in a reduction of the aerodynamic drag, with a minimal effect on the aircraft stall speed; it moved the point of initial ground contact about 50 m towards the runway threshold. Had the flaps remained at flap 30, the touchdown would have been just before the ILS antenna, but still within the airfield boundary. The effects of contact with the ILS antenna are unknown but such contact would probably have led to more substantial structural damage to the aircraft.

Assessment of flight crew actions - summary

From the available evidence, it is apparent that the flight crew’s preparation and conduct of the flight preceding the engine rollbacks was orderly, and in accordance with the operating company’s standard operating procedures.

On the final approach to land the flight crew were presented with an operational situation, a double-engine rollback at a low height, which was unprecedented. Most importantly at this point, when the stick shaker was alerting them to an impending stall, they kept the aircraft flying and under control so that, at impact, it was wings level and at a moderate pitch attitude. The reduction in flap setting did allow the aircraft to clear the ILS aerial array and, given more height, it would have been more effective.

In analysing the flight crew’s actions during final approach, the first indication of a problem was the thrust lever split. The flight crew did not, at this time, realise that this was associated with the ensuing engine rollback; slight splits in the thrust lever positions are common and manually moving the thrust levers back into alignment is a normal response. The flight crew became fully aware of the problem some 30 seconds before touchdown and at this point the subsequent high rate of descent at impact was inevitable.

The crew’s attention was on monitoring the approach and the external environment and, while the autopilot remained engaged, the crew’s focus was on the developing situation with falling engine thrust and reducing airspeed, and their subsequent attempts to restore power.

In the very limited time available after identification of the problem, the flight crew clearly prioritised their actions and thus did make the ‘MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY’ call, although they were not able to make the ‘brace brace’ call. The initial use of the VHF radio rather than PA system for the cabin evacuation call had no effect on the accident outcome.

Interested readers can download the entire report or any section by visiting this landing page on the AAIB Web site: Report on the accident to Boeing 777-236ER, G-YMMM, at London Heathrow Airport on 17 January 2008

BBC News posted on their Web site an audio file of Air Traffic Control dialogue immediately before and after the crash of British Airways Flight 038.

RELATED: Click here to view all posts about British Airways Flt 038 on Aircrew Buzz.

NTSB: Urgent safety recommendation for Rolls-Royce powered Boeing 777 aircraft

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NSTB) issued an urgent safety recommendation today regarding Rolls-Royce engines on Boeing 777 aircraft. The recommendation arises from investigations of two separate events -- one in the U.K. and another in the U.S. -- involving engine thrust rollbacks on Boeing 777-200ER airplanes powered by Rolls-Royce RB211 Trent 800 Series engines. The NTSB is calling for the redesign of a Rolls-Royce engine component, and recommends that after the redesign is completed, the new system be installed on all affected B-777 airplanes at the next maintenance check or within six months.

Background

According to the NTSB, these recommendations are being issued in response to the findings in two investigations involving engine thrust rollbacks on Boeing 777-200ER aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce RB211 Trent 800 Series engines. In both cases a build-up of ice (from water normally present in all jet fuel) on the fuel/oil heat exchanger (FOHE) restricted the flow of fuel to the engine, resulting in an uncommanded engine rollback. [Note: The photo on this page, provided by the NTSB, shows ice accumulation on the inlet face of a Rolls-Royce RB211 Trent 800 Series Fuel/Oil Heat Exchanger during testing.]

The first event, which is still being investigated by the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), occurred on January 17, 2008, when a Boeing 777 experienced a dual engine rollback on final approach and crashed short of the runway at London's Heathrow International Airport. One passenger was seriously injured, eight passengers and four of the flight crew sustained minor injuries; the airplane was substantially damaged.

The second event occurred on November 26, 2008, when a Delta Air Lines Boeing 777 experienced a single engine rollback during cruise flight over Montana while en route from Shanghai to Atlanta. Normal operations resumed after the flight crew followed Boeing's published procedure to recover engine performance; the airplane landed safely in Atlanta.

After the U.K. accident, Boeing developed procedures to help prevent ice accumulation, and to recover thrust in cases of ice blockage. After the Delta rollback incident, Boeing modified the procedures, which then became the basis of an airworthiness directive issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The NTSB says that while the procedures may reduce the risk of a rollback in one or both engines due to FOHE ice blockage, they add complexity to flight crew operations, and the level of risk reduction is not well established. And because the recovery procedure requires a descent, the aircraft may be exposed to other risks such as rising terrain or hazardous weather, or the inability to achieve maximum thrust during a critical phase of flight, such as during a missed approach.

Because of these hazards, the NTSB has determined that "the only acceptable solution to this safety vulnerability is a redesigned FOHE that would eliminate the potential of ice build-up."

Last month, Rolls-Royce indicated that a redesign of the FOHE was underway, and that they anticipated the redesign to be tested, certified and ready for installation within 12 months.

"With two of these rollback events occurring within a year, we believe that there is a high probability of something similar happening again," said NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker. "We are encouraged to see that Rolls-Royce is already working on a redesign, and we are confident that with the FAA and EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) overseeing the process, this flight safety issue - even one as complex as this - will be successfully and expeditiously resolved."

The NTSB has made the following two recommendations to both the FAA and the EASA:

Require that Rolls-Royce redesign the RB211 Trent 800 series engine fuel/oil heat exchanger (FOHE) such that ice accumulation on the face of the FOHE will not restrict fuel flow to the extent that the ability to achieve commanded thrust is reduced.

Once the fuel/oil heat exchanger (FOHE) is redesigned and approved by certification authorities, require that operators of Boeing 777-200 airplanes powered by Rolls Royce RB211 Trent 800 series engines install the redesigned FOHE at the next scheduled maintenance opportunity or within 6 months after the revised FOHE design has been certificated, whichever comes first.

Here are the links to the NTSB's Safety Recommendation letters:

• Safety recommendation letter to the Federal Aviation Administration - 7-page 'pdf' file
• Safety recommendation letter to the European Aviation Safety Agency - 7-page 'pdf' file

[Photo Source]

AAIB Interim Report on the Jan. 2008 British Airways Accident at Heathrow

The United Kingdom's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has issued an Interim Report on the progress of the investigation of the accident involving a British Airways Boeing 777-236ER (registration number G-YMMM) at London's Heathrow International Airport (LHR) earlier this year. Readers will recall that on January 17, 2008, British Airways Flight BA 038 landed short of runway runway 27L at LHR after both of the aircraft's engines failed to respond to throttle inputs while the aircraft was on final approach. The aircraft was arriving at Heathrow on a scheduled flight from Beijing. There were no fatalities or serious injuries among the 136 passengers and 16 crew members on board.

The AAIB's newly released report describes in detail the research done by the investigation team using data obtained from the accident aircraft and its systems, as well as from similar aircraft in the British Airways fleet. The report also includes several safety recommendations directed toward civilian aviation agencies in the United States and Europe.

The new report indicates that both of the Rolls‑Royce RB211 Trent 895‑17 turbofan engines on the accident aircraft are believed to have lost power in the final minute of flight because the fuel flow to each engine was restricted, probably due to an accumulation of water ice crystals within the engine fuel feed system. Excerpt from the Interim Report's Summary:

The investigation has shown that the fuel flow to both engines was restricted; most probably due to ice within the fuel feed system. The ice is likely to have formed from water that occurred naturally in the fuel whilst the aircraft operated for a long period, with low fuel flows, in an unusually cold environment; although, G-YMMM was operated within the certified operational envelope at all times.[AAIB: G-YMMM Interim Report, p. 19]

The AAIB report is careful to note that all aviation fuel contains water that cannot be completely removed, and that "if the fuel temperature drops below the freezing point of the water, it will form ice. The majority of flights have bulk fuel temperatures below the freezing point of water and so there will always be a certain amount of ice in the fuel." Addressing this problem, the AAIB report says:

To prevent the ice causing a restriction requires either: the fuel system must be designed in such a way that the ice in the fuel does not pose a risk of causing an interruption of the fuel supply to the engine or; prevention of the water from becoming ice in the first instance. Changes to the fuel system design could make the system more tolerant, but would take time to implement and would certainly not be available within the near term. Therefore, to reduce the risk of recurrence interim measures need to be adopted until such design changes to the fuel system are available.

One option would be to prevent the water from becoming ice, such as through the use of FSII. Alternatively, operational changes to reduce the risk of ice formation causing a restricted fuel flow at critical stages of flight could be introduced. Such changes could be implemented quickly, but must not compromise the safe operation of the aircraft.[AAIB: G-YMMM Interim Report, p. 20]

"FSII" refers to "Fuel System Icing Inhibitor," a fuel additive used in military jets in the U.S. and the U.K., and in some small civilian jet aircraft. FSII is not commonly used in large public transport category aircraft at the present time, however the AAIB report notes that it is approved for use in the Boeing 777.

The AAIB report states that since it has been proven that ice could cause a restriction in the fuel feed system, the risk of recurrence needs to be addressed in the short term, even though the investigation into this accident is still underway. Therefore the AAIB's Interim Report includes the following safety recommendations:

• Safety Recommendation 2008-047: It is recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency, in conjunction with Boeing and Rolls-Royce, introduce interim measures for the Boeing 777, powered by Trent 800 engines, to reduce the risk of ice formed from water in aviation turbine fuel causing a restriction in the fuel feed system.
• Safety Recommendation 2008-048: It is recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency should take immediate action to consider the implications of the findings of this investigation on other certificated airframe / engine combinations.
• Safety Recommendation 2008-049: It is recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency review the current certification requirements to ensure that aircraft and engine fuel systems are tolerant to the potential build up and sudden release of ice in the fuel feed system.

Here is the link to the full text of the AAIB report: G-YMMM Interim Report - AAIB, Sep. 2008, (21-page 'pdf' file)

---

RELATED: Click here to view all posts about British Airways Flt 038 on Aircrew Buzz.

Crew of British Airways Flight 038 receive medals

The crew members of British Airways Flight 038, the Boeing 777 that crash landed at London's Heathrow International Airport (LHR) on January 17, 2008 were given British Airways' highest accolade for their professionalism on the day of the accident. Pictured here, in a photo taken the day after the accident, are the senior crew members from BA Flight 038. Left to right, they are senior First Officer John Coward, who was the pilot flying at the time of the emergency; Captain Peter Burkill, pilot in command; and Cabin Service Director Sharron Eaton-Mercer, the senior cabin crew member on the flight.

All three pilots and 13 cabin crew members who were working on BA Flight 038 at the time of the accident were awarded the BA Safety Medal by BA chief executive Willie Walsh "for their remarkable skill and courage." The BA Safety Medal has been awarded only three times before.

In a statement about the award issued by British Airways, Willie Walsh said: "The crew demonstrated incredible professionalism, first in landing the aircraft safely and then evacuating all the passengers with only a few minor injuries sustained. The whole of British Airways is extremely proud of them."

Captain Peter Burkill said: "It is a great privilege for us to receive the BA Safety Medal. We are extremely honoured to be added to the list of the very few people who have received this award.

"The training we undergo at British Airways is second to none. During the events of the 17 January these skills kicked in, as we did everything we could to ensure the safety of our passengers."

Congratulations to all the crew of BA Flight 038 for a job well done.

RELATED: Click here to view all posts about British Airways Flt 038 on Aircrew Buzz.

[Photo Source]

AAIB: Latest Bulletin on British Airways crash investigation

The U.K.'s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) issued a new special bulletin earlier today, with updated information about the Board's investigation of the crash landing of a British Airways Boeing 777 aircraft at London's Heathrow Airport (LHR). The accident occurred on January 17, 2008, when BA Flight 038, arriving at LHR from Beijing, landed short of runway 27L after losing power in the final stages of its approach. The newest report, AAIB Bulletin S3/2008, cites evidence of low fuel pressure in both engines of the accident aircraft, a Boeing 777-236ER (registration number G-YMMM), as leading to an uncommanded loss of power.

The report says the "reduction in thrust on both engines was the result of a reduced fuel flow" and notes that "the engine control system detected the reduced fuel flow and commanded the fuel metering valve to open fully. The fuel metering valve responded to this command and opened fully but with no appreciable change in the fuel flow to either engine."

The evidence to date indicates that both engines had low fuel pressure at the inlet to the HP pump. Restrictions in the fuel system between the aircraft fuel tanks and each of the engine HP pumps, resulting in reduced fuel flows, is suspected.

The AAIB's latest Special Bulletin on the crash of BA Flight 038 addressed several alternative explanations for the crash, ruling them out as causes. Specifically mentioned:

• no evidence of an aircraft or engine control system malfunction
• no evidence of a wake vortex encounter, a bird strike or core engine icing
• no evidence of any anomalous behaviour of any of the aircraft or engine systems that suggests electromagnetic interference
• fuel was of good quality, with no evidence of contamination or excessive water
• no unusual deterioration or physical blockages of the fuel system and pipe work
• spar valves and the aircraft fuel boost pumps were serviceable and operated correctly during the flight

The report did find that "the high pressure (HP) fuel pumps from both engines have unusual and fresh cavitation damage to the outlet ports consistent with operation at low inlet pressure."

The AAIB investigation is continuing, with a focus on trying to determine why neither engine responded to the demanded increase in power when all of the engine control functions operated normally. No single parameter from the flight data has been identified as abnormal. The ongoing investigation centers on identifying "abnormal combinations of parameters."

Click here to download AAIB Bulletin S3/2008. (3-page 'pdf' file)

Related: Click here to view all posts about British Airways Flt 038 on Aircrew Buzz.

UK's AAIB issues safety recommendation for Boeing 777 aircraft

The U.K. Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) recently released a Special Bulletin in regard to the investigation of the British Airways Boeing 777 accident at London's Heathrow Airport last month. Included in the latest Bulletin is a safety recommendation for all operators of the Boeing 777 type aircraft.

Here's the link to the full text of AAIB Bulletin S1/2008 Special on the AAIB website. (It's a 6-page 'pdf' file.)

AAIB Safety Recommendation 2008-009 states:

Boeing should notify all Boeing 777 operators of the necessity to operate the fuel control switch to cut-off prior to operation of the fire handle, for both the fire drill and the evacuation drill, and ensure that all versions of its checklists, including electronic and placarded versions of the drill, are consistent with this procedure.

The new safety recommendation arose from the finding during the AAIB's post-accident investigation that the spar valves on both engines of the accident aircraft (a B777-236ER, registration number G-YMMM) were found to be open. The function of the spar valves is to cut off the fuel flow to the engine in the event of an engine fire or an accident. The AAIB Bulletin notes that, while this was not in any way causal to the accident, it "could have had serious consequences in the event of a fire during the evacuation."

The AAIB Bulletin gives considerable attention to the open spar valves (see pages 5 and 6 of the Bulletin), concluding that the the fire handles had been operated prior to the fuel control switches. This is contrary to the sequence recommended by Boeing. Quoting from the Special Bulletin:

Boeing had issued a Service Bulletin (SB 777-28-0025) which advised the splicing together of the wires for the fuel control switches and the fire handles to avoid the need to sequence their operation. An FAA airworthiness directive requires this SB to be completed by July 2010. This had not yet been incorporated on G-YMMM; however, had it been incorporated, the right spar valve should have closed when the fuel control switch was operated.

The evacuation checklist for the Boeing 777, issued by Boeing, shows operation of the fuel control switches to cut-off prior to operation of the fire handles. This sequence allows for both CLOSE paths to the spar valve to be exploited and increases the likelihood that the spar valves close before electrical power to the spar valves is isolated. However, if the fire handle is operated first, then only a single path is available.

The operator’s evacuation checklist, for which Boeing had raised no technical objection, required the commander to operate the fuel control switches whilst the first officer operated the fire handles, this was in order to reduce the time required to action the checklist. These actions were carried out independently, with no measure in place to ensure the correct sequencing. The evacuation drill was placarded on the face of the control column boss, directly in front of each pilot.

An evacuation checklist with the division of independent tasks between the crew leaves a possibility that the fire handles could be operated before the fuel control switches which, with fire handle to spar valve wire damage, could leave the engine fuel spar shut-off valves in an OPEN position. This occurred in this accident, and resulted in the loss of fuel from the aircraft.

Here are the links to all three reports related to this accident investigation that have been issued to date by the AAIB:

• AAIB Ref: EW/C2008/01/01 (Initial report)
• Initial Report Update - 23 January 2008
• AAIB Special Bulletin: 1/2008 - February, 2008

Related:  Click here to view all posts on Aircrew Buzz about British Airways Flt 038.

AAIB: Special Bulletin on last month's British Airways accident in London

A Special Bulletin has been issued by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) of the U.K. Department for Transport regarding its investigation of the crash landing of a British Airways B777 at London's Heathrow Airport last month. The bulletin updates and adds to information released previously by the AAIB. The bulletin stops short of stating any conclusions about the cause of the accident, but it does imply that a partial interruption of fuel flow is the current focus of the investigation.

The latest report, AAIB Bulletin S1/2008 Special, is a 6-page 'pdf' document. Here are some highlights of information presented in the bulletin.

Weather: Temperature conditions during the flight were described in the report as "unusually cold," but remained above the freezing point for the fuel samples taken from the aircraft.

Recorded Data: The AAIB successfully retrieved data from the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR), the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), and the Quick Access Recorder (QAR) from the accident aircraft. The Bulletin states:

The recorded data indicates that there were no anomalies in the major aircraft systems. The autopilot and the autothrottle systems behaved correctly and the engine control systems were providing the correct commands prior to, during, and after, the reduction in thrust.

Engineering Examination: There were no indications of any pre-existing problems with any of the aircraft systems.

• Examination of the engines indicated no evidence of a mechanical defect or ingestion of birds or ice.
• Examination of the high pressure fuel pumps for both engines "revealed signs of abnormal cavitation on the pressure-side bearings and the outlet ports" suggesting "either a restriction in the fuel supply to the pumps or excessive aeration of the fuel," however both pumps were assessed as being still able to deliver full fuel flow.
• Fuel samples taken from the aircraft conformed with Jet A-1 specifications and "there were no signs of contamination or unusual levels of water content."
• "Small items of debris" were found in the right-main fuel tank, the left-main tank water scavenger inlet, the right-center tank override pump, and the left center tank water scavenge jet pump. The AAIB states that "the relevance of this debris is still being considered."

The accident investigation is ongoing. Quoting from the Special Bulletin:

Investigations are now underway in an attempt to replicate the damage seen to the engine high pressure fuel pumps, and to match this to the data recorded on the accident flight. In addition, comprehensive examination and analysis is to be conducted on the entire aircraft and engine fuel system; including the modelling of fuel flows taking account of the environmental and aerodynamic effects.

Here are the links to the three reports relating to this accident investigation that have been issued to date by the AAIB:

• AAIB Ref: EW/C2008/01/01 (Initial report)
• Initial Report Update - 23 January 2008
• AAIB Special Bulletin: 1/2008 - February, 2008

Related:  Click here to view all posts on Aircrew Buzz about British Airways Flt 038.

AAIB Update on the British Airways accident at Heathrow

The United Kingdom's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has issued an update to its initial report on the British Airways B-777 accident that occurred last week at London's Heathrow International Airport (LHR). In that accident, a British Airways Boeing 777-236ER, operating as Flight BA 038, landed several hundred meters short of runway 27L at LHR. Both of the aircraft's engines reportedly failed to respond to throttle inputs during final approach to the airfield, after a flight from Beijing.

Here is an excerpt from the AAIB update, issued on January 23, 2008:

The AAIB, sensitive to the needs of the industry including Boeing, Rolls Royce, British Airways and other Boeing 777 operators and crews, is issuing this update to provide such further factual information as is now available.

As previously reported, whilst the aircraft was stabilised on an ILS approach with the autopilot engaged, the autothrust system commanded an increase in thrust from both engines. The engines both initially responded but after about 3 seconds the thrust of the right engine reduced. Some eight seconds later the thrust reduced on the left engine to a similar level. The engines did not shut down and both engines continued to produce thrust at an engine speed above flight idle, but less than the commanded thrust.

Recorded data indicates that an adequate fuel quantity was on board the aircraft and that the autothrottle and engine control commands were performing as expected prior to, and after, the reduction in thrust.

All possible scenarios that could explain the thrust reduction and continued lack of response of the engines to throttle lever inputs are being examined, in close cooperation with Boeing, Rolls Royce and British Airways. This work includes a detailed analysis and examination of the complete fuel flow path from the aircraft tanks to the engine fuel nozzles.

Further factual information will be released as and when available.

The AAIB update also noted that the wreckage of the accident aircraft "was moved from the threshold of Runway 27L to an airport apron on Sunday evening, allowing the airport to return to normal operations."

Related:  Click here to view all posts on Aircrew Buzz about British Airways Flt 038.

BALPA statement on the British Airways accident at Heathrow

The British Air Line Pilots Association (BALPA) issued an official statement in support of the flight deck crew of BA Flight 038, the British Airways Boeing 777 that crash landed at London's Heathrow International Airport on January 17.

In the statement, Jim McAuslan, BALPA's General Secretary, said:

‘Captain Peter Burkill and his First Officer John Coward are ordinary people who did an extraordinary thing. Air transport remains the safest form of transport, by a long way, but accidents do happen and the text book way in which this was handled by the pilots and the cabin crew is a testament to the professionalism of all involved.

‘The BALPA web forum has been inundated overnight with compliments from their fellow professionals. The vast majority of pilots will go through their whole career without experiencing the events of BA038, but all of them are trained to cope with the possibility. This training includes frequent simulator checks in which pilots rehearse how to calmly deal with the completely unexpected.

‘The pilots and BALPA will be co-operating fully with the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) enquiries. Until we have their interim report it is inappropriate to comment on the cause of the accident; and history teaches us that their conclusions rarely reflect the immediate speculation.

‘After the long flight culminating in the accident, the pilots were then interviewed extensively yesterday by AAIB. The pilots were supported throughout by experienced BALPA representatives. The pilots do not wish to be in the public spotlight and went out for a quiet curry last night. They do not wish or seek “hero status”, and are ‘’embarrassed that their aircraft is all over the front page.’’

‘The events of yesterday did not stop with the crew of BA038. Other pilots in other aircraft lined up behind on the approach would have needed to calmly gone about re-routing. All are ordinary people who do an extraordinary thing.’

BALPA is the union that represents the pilots of British Airways.

Related:  Click here to view all posts on Aircrew Buzz about British Airways Flt 038.

British Airways Flight 038: The day after

The senior crew members from BA Flight 038, the British Airways Boeing 777 that crash landed at London's Heathrow International Airport (LHR) on January 17, were introduced at a press conference earlier today. Pictured here, left to right, are senior First Officer John Coward, who was the pilot flying at the time the emergency arose; Captain Peter Burkill, pilot in command; and Cabin Service Director Sharron Eaton-Mercer, the senior cabin crew member on the flight.

Another flight deck crew member, First Officer Conor Magenis, is not pictured. Other cabin crew members were not identified by name.

The crew members were praised for their actions during the emergency -- the pilots for managing to land the disabled aircraft without causing any loss of life to those on board or on the ground; and the cabin crew for quickly initiating and efficiently carrying out the evacuation of the aircraft once it had come to a rest. Those who lauded the crew included UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and British Airways CEO Willie Walsh, as well as passengers who had been on board BA Flight 038.

The United Kingdom's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has issued a preliminary report about the accident. The date and time of the accident were listed officially as 17 January 2008 at 1243 hrs in the report.

The one-page AAIB report presented a brief summary of the events leading to the aircraft landing short of runway 27L at LHR. The preliminary report, based on interviews with the crew, and initial examination of the aircraft's Flight Data Recorder, indicated that, "At approximately 600 ft and 2 miles from touch down, the Autothrottle demanded an increase in thrust from the two engines but the engines did not respond. Following further demands for increased thrust from the Autothrottle, and subsequently the flight crew moving the throttle levers, the engines similarly failed to respond."

The aircraft struck the ground inside the airfield's perimeter fence, about 1000 ft. short of the paved surface of runway 27L, according to the AAIB report. The report went on to say that during the short ground roll, "the right main landing gear separated from the wing and the left main landing gear was pushed up through the wing root." The report also noted that a "substantial amount" of fuel spilled from the aircraft at the accident site, but there was no fire.

All 136 passengers and 16 crew members evacuated the aircraft using emergency slides. According to the AAIB preliminary report, four crew members and eight passengers sustained minor injuries, while one other passenger's injuries were described as "serious." At least one news report mentioned that one passenger had suffered a concussion and had remained in hospital overnight, but this has not been officially confirmed.

The AAIB report lists damage to the aircraft as "substantial." The accident aircraft was described by the AAIB as a Boeing 777-236, registration number G-YMMM, manufactured in 2001. The aircraft was powered by two Rolls-Royce RB211 Trent 895-17 turbofan engines.

The accident investigation is ongoing, under the direction of the AAIB, with assistance from other interested parties, as follows:

In accordance with the established international arrangements the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the USA, representing the State of Design and Manufacture of the aircraft, was informed of the event. The NTSB appointed an Accredited Representative to lead a team from the USA made up of investigators from the NTSB, the FAA and Boeing. A Boeing investigator already in the UK joined the investigation on the evening of the event, the remainder of the team arrived in the UK on Friday 18th January. Rolls-Royce, the engine manufacturer is also supporting the investigation, an investigator having joined the AAIB team.

The AAIB also reported that the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Quick Access Recorder (QAR) were retrieved from the accident aircraft.

The CVR and FDR have been successfully downloaded at the AAIB laboratories at Farnborough and both records cover the critical final stages of the flight. The QAR was downloaded with the assistance of British Airways and the equipment manufacturer. All of the downloaded information is now the subject of detailed analysis.

The AAIB report states that the focus of the continuing investigation will be "on more detailed analysis of the Flight Recorder information, collecting further recorded information from various system modules and examining the range of aircraft systems that could influence engine operation."

[Photo Source]

Related:  Click here to view all posts on Aircrew Buzz about British Airways Flt 038.

UK's AAIB: Initial report on British Airways accident at Heathrow

The United Kingdom's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) issued its initial report regarding yesterday's crash landing of a British Airways Boeing  777 at London's Heathrow International Airport (LHR). The B777-236ER aircraft (registration number G-YMMM), operating as British Airways Flight BA 038 from Beijing to London, landed short on runway 27L at LHR. All 136 passengers and 16 crew on board survived. The aircraft was substantially damaged.

The AAIB investigation is ongoing, however today's report describes the event, and reports the agency's preliminary findings based on the initial examination of the Flight Data Recorder, and interviews with the crew and others at the accident scene.

Here are some excerpts from the report, which describe the event (re-paragraphed for easier reading):

Following an uneventful flight from Beijing, China, the aircraft was established on an ILS approach to Runway 27L at London Heathrow.

Initially the approach progressed normally, with the Autopilot and Autothrottle engaged, until the aircraft was at a height of approximately 600 ft and 2 miles from touch down. The aircraft then descended rapidly and struck the ground, some 1,000 ft short of the paved runway surface, just inside the airfield boundary fence. The aircraft stopped on the very beginning of the paved surface of Runway 27L.

During the short ground roll the right main landing gear separated from the wing and the left main landing gear was pushed up through the wing root. A significant amount of fuel leaked from the aircraft but there was no fire.

An emergency evacuation via the slides was supervised by the cabin crew and all occupants left the aircraft, some receiving minor injuries.

...

The flight crew were interviewed on the evening of the event by an AAIB Operations Inspector and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Quick Access Recorder (QAR) were removed for replay.

The CVR and FDR have been successfully downloaded at the AAIB laboratories at Farnborough and both records cover the critical final stages of the flight. The QAR was downloaded with the assistance of British Airways and the equipment manufacturer. All of the downloaded information is now the subject of detailed analysis.

Examination of the aircraft systems and engines is ongoing.

Initial indications from the interviews and Flight Recorder analyses show the flight and approach to have progressed normally until the aircraft was established on late finals for Runway 27L.

At approximately 600 ft and 2 miles from touch down, the Autothrottle demanded an increase in thrust from the two engines but the engines did not respond. Following further demands for increased thrust from the Autothrottle, and subsequently the flight crew moving the throttle levers, the engines similarly failed to respond.

The aircraft speed reduced and the aircraft descended onto the grass short of the paved runway surface. [AAIB Ref: EW/C2008/01/01]

The AAIB states that the accident investigation will continue, focusing on "more detailed analysis of the Flight Recorder information, collecting further recorded information from various system modules and examining the range of aircraft systems that could influence engine operation."

UPDATE January 24, 2008: The UK's AAIB has issued an update to its preliminary report on the British Airways accident. Excerpt:

Recorded data indicates that an adequate fuel quantity was on board the aircraft and that the autothrottle and engine control commands were performing as expected prior to, and after, the reduction in thrust.

All possible scenarios that could explain the thrust reduction and continued lack of response of the engines to throttle lever inputs are being examined, in close cooperation with Boeing, Rolls Royce and British Airways. This work includes a detailed analysis and examination of the complete fuel flow path from the aircraft tanks to the engine fuel nozzles.

Click here to read the update on the AAIB website.

NOTE:  Click here to view all posts on Aircrew Buzz about British Airways Flt 038.

British Airways Boeing 777 down at Heathrow

A British Airways B777-236ER landed several hundred meters short of a runway at London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) earlier today, January 17, 2008. BA Flight 038, arriving at LHR on a scheduled flight from Beijing, had 132 passengers and 16 crew on board, all of whom were evacuated safely using emergency slides. Early news reports said a few people sustained "minor injuries." The aircraft (registration number G-YMMM) was severely damaged. There was no fire.

The aircraft reportedly touched down at 12:42 GMT, several hundred meters short of runway 27L, and plowed through the grass, coming to a rest on its belly just at the threshold of the runway. Several eyewitnesses at the airport said that the aircraft appeared to lose power on short final, and that the landing gear collapsed shortly after the aircraft touched down.

BBC News reported that all BA short-haul flights scheduled to leave from Heathrow were immediately cancelled or delayed. A number of incoming flights were diverted to Stansted and Luton.

A press advisory issued by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that a team had been dispatched to assist the government of the United Kingdom in its investigation of today's accident. The NTSB designated investigator Bill English as the U.S. Accredited Representative. An aviation systems technical specialist and a powerplants technical specialist will accompany him. The Federal Aviation Administration and the Boeing Aircraft Company are also sending investigators as part of the team, according to the NTSB. The UK Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) is leading the investigation.

Kudos to the flight crew for landing the apparently disabled aircraft without loss of life or serious injury to anyone on board or on the ground, and to the cabin crew for quickly evacuating everyone from the aircraft without further incident.

Click here for the BBC's photo collection of the aircraft and the accident site at Heathrow.

Follow-up details regarding the this accident will be posted here on Aircrew Buzz as factual information becomes available.

[Photo Source]

UPDATE January 17, 2008: Willie Walsh, CEO of British Airways released a statement publicly commending the crew of BA Flight 38, identifying the PIC by name:

" I would like to pay tribute to the 16 crew of the BA038 led by Captain Peter Burkill. The flight crew showed great courage and professionalism in landing the aircraft safely. All of the crew did a fantastic job evacuating the 136 passengers. They are all heroes and everyone at British Airways is very proud of them." [Source: British Airways Press Statement, January 17, 2008]

In a separate statement, Mr. Walsh also praised the fire, ambulance and police services for their response at the scene of the accident.

UPDATE January 18, 2008: The UK's Air Accident Investigations Branch (AAIB) has issued a preliminary report on the British Airways accident.

UPDATE January 24, 2008: The UK's AAIB has issued an update to its preliminary report on the British Airways accident.

UPDATE February 9, 2010: The AAIB has issued its Final report on 2008 British Airways Boeing 777 accident at Heathrow.

NOTE:  Click here to view all posts on Aircrew Buzz about British Airways Flt 038.