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.

British Airways and Iberia sign merger deal

by B. N. Sullivan

British Airways and Spanish flag carrier Iberia have signed a final merger agreement. Today's agreement will implement terms set forth in a memorandum of understanding signed by the two carriers in November of 2009.  The merger is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

According to a press release issued by Iberia, the merger will create a new holding company called International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, which will be known as International Airlines Group. Both airlines will retain their current operations and operate under their individual brands - British Airways and Iberia. The merged carrier will operate a fleet of 408 aircraft flying to 200 destinations.

Airline officials said that the merger "will benefit both airlines’ shareholders, customers and employees," and "has been structured so that it can take advantage of further consolidation in the global aviation industry." Although such consolidations often result in work force reductions, no announcements have been made regarding staffing levels going forward.

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.

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British Airways asks staff to volunteer for unpaid leave or unpaid work

About a month ago, British Airways (BA) reported a record annual loss of £401 million. Now the airline's CEO, Willie Walsh -- claiming that BA "is in a fight for survival" -- is asking more than 40,000 employees to volunteer by the end of this month for unpaid leave or unpaid work for periods of one week to one month.

In order to set an example, Mr. Walsh has said he will work for free for the month of July, forgoing his usual monthly salary of £61,000. The Financial Times reports that Keith Williams, chief financial officer at British Airways, also has volunteered to waive his hefty salary for July.

Union officials representing several work groups at British Airways were quick to point out that most of their members earned between £13,000 and £18,000 a year.

From the Financial Times article:

Mick Rix, national officer for civil aviation at the GMB, said his members could not take the proposal seriously.

"Most workers may consider this request if and when the company's executives take permanent and radical action to reduce their own remuneration packages," he said

Unite, BA's biggest union, said: "Willie Walsh can afford to work a month for free. Our members can't."

A Times Online article about the work-for-free scheme quoted a flight attendant who said, "We are treating it like a joke. It’s all very well for Willie Walsh, but my basic is £11,000 a year."

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)

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American Airlines, British Airways, and Iberia applying for antitrust immunity

Today American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia announced that they "have signed a joint business agreement on flights between Europe and North America and plan to expand their global cooperation." In similarly worded press releases issued by each of the carriers, the airlines said that they will file for worldwide antitrust immunity from the U.S. Department of Transportation and will notify the appropriate regulatory authorities in the European Union. Finnair and Royal Jordanian are included in the antitrust immunity application.

According to the news releases:

Under the joint business agreement, the three airlines will cooperate commercially on flights between the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and the European Union, Switzerland, and Norway while continuing to operate as separate legal entities. They will expand their codeshare arrangements on flights within and beyond the EU and U.S., significantly increasing the number of destination choices that the airlines can offer customers.

The airlines all are members of the oneworld® global airline alliance. A press release was issued by oneworld® in support of the application for anti-trust immunity.

Crew Response

The Allied Pilots Association (APA), the union representing the 12,000 pilots at American Airlines, issued a statement about the multi-airline business agreement, calling it "problematic on several fronts." In particular, the APA cites the "scope clause" of the contract between the APA and American Airlines, which "embodies management’s promise that if a flight generates revenue for AMR Corp., an American Airlines pilot must be at the flight controls."

The scope clause contains a variety of exceptions for code-sharing agreements, commuter affiliate operations and other situations where an American Airlines pilot is not in control of an aircraft that generates revenue for the corporation. However, APA President Capt. Lloyd Hill points out that the scope clause in the current collective bargaining agreement does not include an exception for a joint business agreement between American Airlines and another airline. "Management therefore needs APA’s consent before this joint business agreement can go forward," said Capt. Hill.

Hill noted that APA representatives met last week in Washington, D.C. with their counterparts from the British Airways and Iberia pilot unions to explore common interests and identify areas of concern. The meeting was prompted by the previously announced plans by American Airlines and the other two carriers to pursue antitrust immunity. He also noted that APA’s board of directors will convene next week to discuss the joint business agreement and antitrust immunity application.

"Make no mistake, we want American Airlines to succeed, but that success cannot come at the expense of the employees," Hill said. "We have serious job-security concerns that must be addressed as part of any revenue-producing agreement with another airline."

As of this writing, there has been no public comment from the British Air Line Pilots Association (BALPA), which represents British Airways pilots, regarding the joint business agreement announced today by American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia.

Separately, BALPA came out in favor of recent merger talks between British Airways and Iberia. A BALPA news release issued late last month states:

"We have been anticipating this for some time. We are already in discussions with the pilot association in Spain.. We support these merger talks. Consolidation within the airline industry is inevitable and a merger of BA with Iberia makes good sense.

"We trust the two companies will take their pilots fully into the process and consult with BALPA and the Spanish pilots' association very closely indeed. Pilots have a lot to offer in the planning stages and want to be full partners in this enterprise."

BALPA does not expect a merger between British Airways and Iberia to result in the loss of any pilot jobs.

[Photo Source]

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)

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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

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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

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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."

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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.

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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]

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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.

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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.

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Remembering the British Airways Concorde

During a recent event at the U.K.'s Imperial War Museum Duxford, several former British Airways Concorde 101 crew members shared their memories of working aboard that historic aircraft. The museum is the new home of the now retired Concorde 101. The aircraft will be housed permanently in a new £25 million AirSpace Exhibition hangar.

Maggie Sinclair, who had worked aboard the Concorde as cabin crew, was among those who shared their recollections. Here is an excerpt from an interview with Ms. Sinclair, published in the Cambridge Evening News:

"It was a very different, a very nice service and very personal," she said. "You had 100 passengers, but you had to give as much attention to them as you could. If they wanted something you got it straight away.

"Concorde was not actually first class, but a mixture. It was a prestigious plane to be on - I loved the ambience of it. I enjoyed the speed, although you didn't sense it. I was brought up in a garage so I was always keen on speed!

"People were always interesting and there were lots of wonderful passengers. Andy Warhol did not speak to us - he had his own man with him - but he wanted to see the flight deck. We had Eartha Kitt and Peter O'Toole. Quite a few who had been to LA together - Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry. Joan Collins was a regular. David Frost would always sit in one row at the back of the plane and stretch himself out.

"We had Christopher Reeve once. It was always lovely to be able to look after these people.

"I was in the crew that took the Queen once, on a State Visit to Ottawa for the 125th anniversary of the opening of parliament."

Ms. Sinclair noted that she and her colleagues on the Concorde had the same uniforms as the rest of British Airways cabin crew, but "we had to wear our hats whereas other crews didn't and we had special silver name badges."

Cabin crew had new uniforms issued to them for the Royal flight.

The Cambridge Evening News article that features the interview with Maggie Sinclair also includes interviews with three former Concorde pilots. Click here to read the entire article.

British Airways pilot wins the right to fly part-time

A 27 year old British Airways (BA) pilot has won the right to work part-time -- 50% of her normal schedule -- in order to spend more time raising her young daughter.

The pilot, Jessica Starmer, actually won an employment tribunal claim of indirect sex discrimination in 2005, but it was expected that British Airways would take the case to the Court of Appeal. Today, however, BA backed down and announced that they had decided not to appeal, and that Ms. Starmer would be allowed to reduce her hours to half.

A BBC News article about this development quoted a joint statement by British Airways and the British Air Line Pilots Association (BALPA), the union that represents BA pilots:

"It is now three years since Mrs Starmer first asked to reduce her working hours to 50%.

"Since that time, Mrs Starmer has been working at 75% and British Airways recognises the high standards that she has been able to maintain.

"Her flying experience has now reached a level which, together with other measures agreed with British Airways, satisfies its safety concerns and meets its high level of operating standards.

"British Airways intends that pilots in similar circumstances to Mrs Starmer will be eligible for 50% contracts subject to the same measures in the future."

Jim McAuslan, general secretary of BALPA, said: "This is only one step in Balpa's effort to get the industry to be more flexible in accommodating individuals who want lifestyle choice.

"Pilots are in a highly skilled profession, in short supply, and unless airlines start to show flexibility, they will struggle to recruit among this talented pool," he said.

Ms. Starmer's husband is a pilot as well.

Click here to read the whole text of the joint statement on the BALPA website.

Stowaways in the gear bay

Not what you want to find on your pre-flight walk-around: A frozen body in a landing gear bay.

Yesterday a pilot did make such a discovery while making a pre-departure check of a British Airways B747-400 at LAX. The frozen corpse of an apparent stowaway was found in the front right gear bay of the aircraft, according to BBC News.

The aircraft had arrived at LAX from London's Heathrow Airport, and was being prepared for a return trip to LHR at the time the frozen body of the unfortunate young man was discovered. A UPI news report claimed that the body of the victim "had documents identifying him as a South African national born in 1989."

Earlier this month there was a similar incident at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. A dead body was discovered in the gear bay of a Delta Air Lines B767 upon its arrival at ATL from Johannesburg, South Africa via Dakar, Senegal.

An Associated Press article about that incident on the CBS News website suggested that the crew on the Delta flight may have been alerted to the possibility of a stowaway while they were airborne en route from Dakar to Atlanta: "The FAA says Delta was notified that the stowaway might be inside the plane after the Boeing 767 was already well into its flight. Delta apparently made a decision that it was too late for the plane to turn around."

The unanswered question is, when and how did these stowaways manage to secrete themselves aboard these aircraft without being detected before departure?

Do locked cockpit doors impede communication?

There's an interesting article on the Airport Business website about an incident that happened aboard a British Airways aircraft last year that has prompted some re-thinking about locked cockpit doors.

The article, which was first published by The Scotsman, describes the incident that sparked the debate:

Cabin crew were unable to contact pilots during the evacuation of a British Airways aircraft at Edinburgh airport last January after flames were seen shooting from an engine, investigators have reported.

The staff wrongly thought the plane's communication system had been knocked out, and could not reach the pilots because the cockpit door was locked. They decided to evacuate the 98 London bound passengers after seeing a 6ft flame coming from the rear of one of the plane's four engines.

One of the three cabin crew said a passenger had a "horrified look" on his face, while others had already left their seats and were moving to the front of the Avro 146-RJ100 aircraft.

The report said some passengers and a member of the cabin crew at the rear of the aircraft were not aware an emergency evacuation was in progress until they reached the front of the cabin.

As a result of that incident, BA crews are now being specifically trained on as how to operate the communications system in reduced power. In addition, the UK government also has agreed that doors between the passenger cabin and the flight deck should remain unlocked until after an aircraft's engines are started to enable access in case there is a power failure.

Read the whole article here: Engine Fire Spurs Britain to Change Rules on a Locked Cockpit - Airport Business.

New non-stop commercial flight record

Last month a chartered British Airways aircraft set a new world record for the longest non-stop commercial flight. The aircraft, a Boeing 777-200 flew non-stop from Brussels to Melbourne, a distance of 17,157 km (9,274 nm). British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his entourage were aboard the aircraft.

From an article on FlightGlobal.com, we learn these particulars about the flight:

The flight, captained by Capt Rod Mitchell, took 18h 45min to reach Melbourne, during which three hot meals were served. It has not been released how many passengers were onboard the 305-seat aircraft, although the prime minister usually travels with around 40 members of entourage and is followed by a further 20 journalists. To comply with crew flight time limitations, 20 crew were onboard, of which two were captains, two were senior first officers and 12 were cabin crew. An engineer, a security manager and a catering manager were also part of the personnel.

In June last year Boeing flew the 777-200LR variant 21,601km in 22h 42mins without refuelling from Hong Kong to London, setting a new record for a commercial airliner. However the 24 March London to Melbourne flight is the longest flight with paying passengers under civil transport rules.

Mr. Blair and his party were flying to Melbourne to attend the Commonwealth Games.