Heathrow

  • | | | |

    Report on Boeing 787 Ground fire Heathrow July 12, 2013

    This Special Bulletin contains information on the progress of the investigation into a ground fire on an unoccupied Boeing 787-8, registration ET-AOP, at London Heathrow Airport on 12 July 2013.

    It follows the publication of Special Bulletin S5/2013 on 18 July 2013. The AAIB are assisted in the investigation by Accredited Representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) (representing the State of Design and Manufacture), the Civil Aviation Authority of Ethiopia (representing the State of Registry and the Operator) and the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada (representing the State of component manufacture), with technical advisors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the operator and the aircraft and component manufacturers.

    In Special Bulletin S5/2013, the AAIB reported the existence of extensive heat damage in the upper portion of the aircraft’s rear fuselage, particularly in an area coincident with the location of the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT). The absence of any other aircraft systems in this area containing stored energy capable of initiating a fire, together with evidence from forensic examination of the ELT, led the investigation to conclude that the fire originated within the ELT battery.

  • | | |

    United Airlines Emergency Landing

    United Airlines flight UA131 en route from Heathrow to Washington made an emergency landing in Dublin.

    According to pilots, the Boeing 757-200 developed possible engine trouble. There was also smoke in the cockpit.

    Dublin Airport Fire and Rescue Service, dozens of firefighters and Dublin Airport Police responded to the scene.

    The flight departed from Heathrow at 1:05pm. None of the 147 passengers or crew of nine were injured.

  • | | | | | |

    Ethiopian Airlines Fire at Heathrow


    photographer Josh May

    An Ethiopian Airlines’ Queen of Sheba, a Boeing 787 #ET-AOP which had been sitting empty for eight hours caught fire and shut down Heathrow Airport for an hour Friday. The fire seems to have started in the upper fuselage, far from the 787’s lithium-ion batteries. A battery fire would have been “contained by the new casing and…smoke would have been vented outside of the airplane.” Nearly a dozen fire trucks responded to the scene. The plane was parked on the apron taxiway E at Stand 592 next to a fire station.

    #ET-AOP had arrived from Addis Ababa as flight ET700 at 06:30a.m. Departure was scheduled as ET701 to Addis Ababa at 21:10.

    In photos, damage appears on the outside top of the upper fuselage near the vertical stabilizer, on the left side of the top of the airplane just in front of the tail. The fire was not caused by lithium-ion batteries, which are in in the cargo-bay.

    Potential causes of the fire:

    • a gadget such as the coffeemaker
    • a manufacturing or installation defect in his jet;
    • a different systemic defect in the 787 model

    NTSB Sends Investigator to Participate in Investigation of London Boeing 787 Dreamliner Fire

    The National Transportation Safety Board has sent an investigator to assist in the investigation of a fire that occurred yesterday aboard a parked Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Heathrow Airport, London, England.
    NTSB Senior Air Safety Investigator Lorenda Ward has been appointed as the traveling U.S. accredited representative. Ms. Ward will be accompanied by NTSB airplane systems investigators and representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing.
    The investigation is being conducted by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) of the United Kingdom, which will release all information.

  • | | | | | | |

    Beckham Flight Returns to London


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Alasdair Mulhern

    What: British Airways Boeing 747-400 en route from London to Los Angeles
    Where: over Scotland
    When: Aug 7th 2010
    Why: While en route, the British Airways plane developed a problem with the fuel system, dumped the fuel while at sea and returned to Heathrow. No injuries. Safe landing.

    The event has received significant coverage, chiefly because Victoria Beckham was aboard the flight, and managed a wardrobe change–and photos of both outfits have been published online.

  • | | | |

    Singapore Airlines Airbus Indicator Delays Flight


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Marco Toso

    What: Singapore Airlines Airbus A380-800 en route from London Heathrow to Singapore
    Where: London
    When: Aug 8th 2009
    Who: 363 passengers
    Why: After takeoff, control panel indicated a problem on the plane that led to returning to the airport of origin. After landing, Singapore Airline maintenance determined that the flaw was in the signal. The plane was cleared for take-off and completed the flight.

  • | | | | |

    BMI Airbus Grounded by Mystery Smoke


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Rui Miguel

    What: BMI British Midland Airbus A319-100 en route from London Heathrow to Edinburgh
    Where: London
    When: Jun 21st 2009
    Who: 126 passengers,
    Why: After the scent of smoke was detected in the cabin, the plane returned to London. The plane was replaced, but no source of smoke or fire was ever found.

    George’s Point of View

    When I read of accounts like this one, sometimes I wonder if someone snuck a smoke in the bathroom. Not that I would defend such a thing, but if that were the case, it would be better than there being an on-going problem with the electrics.

  • | | | | |

    Airbus Engine Shuts Down on Singapore-London flight

    What: Singapore Airlines Airbus A380-800 en route from Singapore to London Heathrow
    Where: Heathrow Airport
    When: May 25th 2009
    Why: One of the plane’s four engines shut down causing an hour’s delay. The plane was taken out of service, and the return flight was delayed until the Airbus was back in service.

    George’s Point of View

    Airbus is just starting out with this monster and already having engine issues. Engine shut down is serious stuff, even though the monster can fly on less than 4 engines, it’s serious.

  • | | | |

    Depressurized Airbus Lands in London


    Contact photographer Bruce Leibowitz
    What: Turkish Airlines Airbus A340-300, en route from New York JFK,NY to Istanbul Ataturk
    Where: divert to London Heathrow
    When: Apr 16th 2009 6:30 local
    Who: 185 passengers and 15 crew
    Why: The cabin depressurized en route, and the flight was diverted to Heathrow for a safe landing. Although passengers experienced shortness of breath and ear pain, oxygen masks never did deploy.

  • | | |

    Emergency Landing at Heathrow

    What: British Airways Flight BA 341 Boeing 757, en route from France
    Where: priority landing at Heathrow airport
    When: British Summer Time (BST) 063 Sunday
    Who: 137 passengers
    Why: Fumes were detected in the passenger cabin, instigating an emergency landing. There were no injuries.