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General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Chairboy on January 17, 2008, 09:56:29 AM

Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Chairboy on January 17, 2008, 09:56:29 AM
Anyone following the 777 crash landing story at Heathrow?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7194086.stm

Landed short of the runway, skidded through the dirt.  Hopefully video shows up, this would be interesting to see.  

Was it a mechanical failure or a mismanaged approach?
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Chairboy on January 17, 2008, 09:58:23 AM
EGLL 171320Z 22016KT 9999 BKN014 BKN020 11/09 Q0996 TEMPO 24020G32KT 6000 SHRA BKN015CB
EGLL 171250Z 20013KT 9999 BKN008 10/08 Q0996 BECMG 24018G28KT SCT012 BKN020
EGLL 171220Z 21014KT 180V240 9999 SCT008 BKN010 09/08 Q0997 TEMPO 21018G28KT 4000 RADZ BKN008
EGLL 171150Z 20014KT 170V240 9999 FEW006 SCT010 09/08 Q0997 TEMPO 20018G28KT 4000 RADZ BKN006
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Bodhi on January 17, 2008, 09:59:46 AM
Saw the pictures.  Glad no one is hurt.

Seems to me that is going to be one really expensive repair, if they do not right it off.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Chairboy on January 17, 2008, 10:07:35 AM
(http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44362000/gif/_44362967_heathrow_wide_416.gif)
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Jackal1 on January 17, 2008, 10:11:01 AM
I heard Beetless was giving an in cabin lecture on the art of sidewalk cafe sitting, tour bus etiquette ,  rentaduning...............and hillbillies. Distracted the crew. :)
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Chairboy on January 17, 2008, 10:38:38 AM
Interesting interview:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7194569.stm
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: moot on January 17, 2008, 10:56:51 AM
The conclusion doesn't seem to account for the pilot reportedly saying all the electronics had failed.  Geese in the engines can't cause that, can they?
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Maverick on January 17, 2008, 11:08:43 AM
There was no fire, thankfully, and no indication of a great amount of fuel smell / leaking in the article. I wonder if there was a fuel starvation issue. It would be rather embarrassing to the crew and ground crews. They had to have had some kind of electrical power or the controls wouldn't function at all.

Kudo to the pilots for at least making the air port. I wonder at what point in the pattern the power failed. I'm very glad no one was killed or injured.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: AquaShrimp on January 17, 2008, 11:17:38 AM
Quote
"I didn't speak to the pilot, but I saw him, and he looked very pale, but there was no communication in the cabin."


I bet.  You know how many perks he just lost?
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Paxil on January 17, 2008, 12:03:52 PM
I think his perkies are safe... looks like he managed to just get on the end of the pavement.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Wolfala on January 17, 2008, 12:08:01 PM
22016KT 9999 BKN014 BKN020 11/09 Q0996 TEMPO 24020G32KT 6000 SHRA BKN015CB

Lets see...

Winds 220 / 16 knots. Ceiling broken 1400 feet, broken 2000 feet. Temp 11, dewpoint 9, Altimeter 29.96. Temporary observation, winds 240 at 20 Gusting 32 knots, Showers and Rain, broken 1500 Cumulonimbus.

Translation, thunderstorm. My guess is he caught the tail edge of a micro burst and slammed in short of the runway.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: RTHolmes on January 17, 2008, 12:22:27 PM
Quote
Originally posted by AquaShrimp
I bet.  You know how many perks he just lost?
:rofl
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Mickey1992 on January 17, 2008, 12:32:04 PM
Sounds like a micro burst to me too.

Passenger Paul Venter told the UK Press Association: "The wheels came out and went for touchdown, and the next moment we just dropped. I couldn't tell you how far."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/01/17/heathrow.incident/index.html
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Overlag on January 17, 2008, 12:40:57 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Wolfala
22016KT 9999 BKN014 BKN020 11/09 Q0996 TEMPO 24020G32KT 6000 SHRA BKN015CB

Lets see...

Winds 220 / 16 knots. Ceiling broken 1400 feet, broken 2000 feet. Temp 11, dewpoint 9, Altimeter 29.96. Temporary observation, winds 240 at 20 Gusting 32 knots, Showers and Rain, broken 1500 Cumulonimbus.

Translation, thunderstorm. My guess is he caught the tail edge of a micro burst and slammed in short of the runway.


it was nice weather when this happend. the storm passed over about an hour ago..(about 3hours after the crash). which was very rough. (for a uk storm in jan...)

this is where i often stand taking pictures of planes and theres some good ones on airliners.net already.

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=G-YMMM&distinct_entry=true

you can see that the APU duct is open, so i think the crew was trying to start this to get some power back in the cockpit/restart engines... but it was too late.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: AquaShrimp on January 17, 2008, 12:53:13 PM
Did the ram air turbine deploy?
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: RTHolmes on January 17, 2008, 12:59:57 PM
only seen a pic of the crashed plane, it ditched so hard on the left gear its  extended up through the wing. i can imagine 99% of the passengers calm til it ditched, with a couple of pilots (real or cartoon) absolutely kacking themselves.

a few years back a friend of mine went to lunch with her grandmother, I was at a loose end so i went along. during lunch I found out this lady has been in 3 fatal plane crashes and survived the capsising of a steamer somewhere in africa. with just a couple of broken bones to show for it. still havent decided if shes lucky or not :confused:
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: john9001 on January 17, 2008, 01:22:24 PM
computer voice:: "pull up.......pull up"
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: moot on January 17, 2008, 01:39:21 PM
Quote
Originally posted by john9001
computer voice:: "pull up.......pull up"
:lol
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: REP0MAN on January 17, 2008, 01:42:58 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Paxil
I think his perkies are safe... looks like he managed to just get on the end of the pavement.


Yeap, just barely on the rearm pad. Nice work on the perkies save Cap'n.

Quote
Originally posted by Chairboy
(http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44362000/gif/_44362967_heathrow_wide_416.gif)
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Bingolong on January 17, 2008, 02:30:51 PM
Double engine faluire lost all electronics 30 seconds before landing :O  He does deserve a medal.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: detch01 on January 17, 2008, 03:01:54 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Bingolong
Double engine faluire lost all electronics 30 seconds before landing :O  He does deserve a medal.

and a change of nicks...
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Vulcan on January 17, 2008, 03:08:17 PM
Probably only took 50% fuel. noob.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Airscrew on January 17, 2008, 03:25:39 PM
he should have never lowered the gear, too much drag... he couldve just made a belly landing...
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Fishu on January 17, 2008, 04:06:44 PM
In completely (un)related news the prince of Wales has made his first solo flight the same day

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7193745.stm


Prince William vs. British Airways  1 - 0?
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Spikes on January 17, 2008, 04:24:54 PM
My dad was telling me about this when he picked me up.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: cpxxx on January 17, 2008, 07:18:00 PM
Lucky escape for all concerned. Funnily enough it's a bit like one of my AH landings.

There was plenty of fuel onboard. That has been ruled out. So it looks like either windshear late on finals or double engine failure on short finals. The latter seems most unlikely. Having said that some sources say the RAT was deployed which implies loss of engine power.

From descriptions the glide was stretched by raising the nose and basically it stalled onto the grass. The very short distance from touchdown to stopping seems to bear out a very low speed at touchdown. Some passengers interviewed on the BBC said they thought it was just a bumpy touchdown and were unaware that they had crashlanded until they were evacuated from the aircraft and saw it from the outside.

It will be fascinating to what the cause turns out to be. No doubt we will soon be seeing it poorly dramatised on 'Seconds from disaster' or 'Air Crash Investigation on Discovery.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Ripsnort on January 17, 2008, 07:25:08 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Bingolong
Double engine faluire lost all electronics 30 seconds before landing :O  He does deserve a medal.
That's what is being reported, via an airport worker, 2nd hand from a pilot. The black box should tell the real story. I'll wait for that info before I blame the aircraft.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: BiGBMAW on January 17, 2008, 07:28:09 PM
short field landing indeed...Love when u save ur perkies when u just get over the runway!!!  
wtg!!!



btw wheres the Euro brothers??? If its not Boeing I aint Going bashers??>??.heheh
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: AWMac on January 17, 2008, 08:42:38 PM
Okay... Where the hell did the Drones go?

:huh

Mac
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: splitatom on January 17, 2008, 09:05:02 PM
Quote
Originally posted by moot
The conclusion doesn't seem to account for the pilot reportedly saying all the electronics had failed.  Geese in the engines can't cause that, can they?

i am not sure but they do have emergency lights that will work but i think the digital displays would stop if both engines stoped
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: MrRiplEy[H] on January 17, 2008, 09:37:12 PM
Quote
Originally posted by BiGBMAW btw wheres the Euro brothers??? If its not Boeing I aint Going bashers??>??.heheh [/B]


Ok..

(http://gen14.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/simpsons_nelson_haha2.jpg)
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: rogwar on January 17, 2008, 09:48:17 PM
Will be interesting to see the results on the accident investigation.

I'm just thankful it was not a tragedy. Could have been a lot worse.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: DarkglamJG52 on January 18, 2008, 06:39:25 AM
Keep calm passengers.

(http://www.deia.com/fotos/impresa/2008/01/16/primera.jpg)
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Furball on January 18, 2008, 12:03:13 PM
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1301371,00.html

Quote
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch, in its preliminary report on Thursday's near-disaster, said "the Autothrottle demanded an increase in thrust from the two engines but the engines did not respond."

The report adds that despite further demands for increased thrust from the autothrottle - and the flight crew moving the throttle levers - the engines did not respond.


Wonder what could stop both engines responding like that?
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Airscrew on January 18, 2008, 12:06:41 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Furball

Wonder what could stop both engines responding like that?

Ran out of gas?
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Overlag on January 18, 2008, 12:08:33 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Airscrew
Ran out of gas?


had plenty of gas left.

i wonder if bird strike caused this?
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: CMC Airboss on January 18, 2008, 01:46:55 PM
The RAT was deployed

RAT below door 3R (http://www.heathrowpictures.com/pictures/images/picturegallery_baw_b772_gymmm15.jpg)

I can't see any indications of bird strikes on the airplane.  There is no blood or feathers apparent in any of the engine photos.

http://www.heathrowpictures.com/pictures/pictures.html (http://www.heathrowpictures.com/pictures/pictures.html)
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Airscrew on January 18, 2008, 01:56:40 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Overlag
had plenty of gas left.

i wonder if bird strike caused this?

ok, was trying to be a bit funny,  let me say it another way,..

fuel starvation? blocked fuel lines?
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: moot on January 18, 2008, 02:31:03 PM
Would make for a real freak occurence, for electronics to go out, and engines to eat bird at the same time.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Ripsnort on January 18, 2008, 03:06:44 PM
FWIW, Boeing does not make the engines. We hang them and hook them up. The customers choose which engines they want.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Overlag on January 18, 2008, 03:13:46 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Ripsnort
FWIW, Boeing does not make the engines. We hang them and hook them up. The customers choose which engines they want.


is anyone blaiming Boeing on here?
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Furball on January 18, 2008, 03:43:16 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Ripsnort
FWIW, Boeing does not make the engines. We hang them and hook them up. The customers choose which engines they want.


Building engines is too difficult for Boeing.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: steely07 on January 18, 2008, 06:49:28 PM
http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/latest_news/accident__heathrow_17_january_2008___initial_report.cfm


looks like equipment failure, nice job by the Pilots.

Steely
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Fishu on January 18, 2008, 08:31:25 PM
that's one stupid URL, it keeps putting space between latest_news/ and accident..
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Ripsnort on January 18, 2008, 08:33:17 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Fishu
that's one stupid URL, it keeps putting space between latest_news/ and accident..

http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/latest_news/
accident__heathrow_17_january _2008___initial_report.cfm


Sure. :lol
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Fishu on January 18, 2008, 09:25:58 PM
You try it.. I tried to add the url between url brackets and there was %20 a.k.a space between the two, similar to the above message outside of url brackets. I suppose you didn't see the attempts prior to the quoted one, which I removed as it didn't serve any practical purpose. :confused:
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Ripsnort on January 18, 2008, 09:49:25 PM
:rolleyes:

Quote
Accident to Boeing 777-236, G-YMMM at London Heathrow Airport on 17 January 2008 - Initial Report


Initial Report       AAIB Ref: EW/C2008/01/01


Accident

Aircraft Type and Registration:  Boeing 777-236, G-YMMM
No & Type of Engines:  2 Rolls-Royce RB211 Trent 895-17 turbofan engines
Year of Manufacture:  2001
Date & Time:  17 January 2008 at 1243 hrs
Location:  Undershoot RWY 27L, London Heathrow Airport
Type of Flight:  Commercial Air Transport (passenger)
Persons on Board:  Crew - 16
Passengers - 136
Injuries:  Crew - 4 (minor)
Passengers - 1 (serious)
Passengers - 8 (minor)
Nature of Damage:  Substantial
Information Source:  AAIB Field Investigation

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 AAIB was notified of the accident within a few minutes and a team of Inspectors including engineers, pilots and a flight recorder specialist deployed to Heathrow. 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.

Activity at the accident scene was coordinated with the Airport Fire and Rescue Service, the Police, the British Airports Authority and British Airways to ensure the recovery of all relevant evidence, to facilitate the removal of the aircraft and the reinstatement of airport operations.

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.

The investigation is now focussed 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.

Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Fishu on January 18, 2008, 11:05:14 PM
You didn't quite get my point about the URL.. it's lack of co-operation with the URL brackets was the point of curiocity to me. Why it adds a space to it... it caught my attention more than the contents
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: LePaul on January 19, 2008, 12:32:32 AM
Amazing no one got killed

Wonder if water in the fuel is part of the issue?  Read on one of the links that they are advising aircraft to be double sure they drain any/all water out of other craft.

As Rip mentioned, it'll be interesting to see what the blackboxes and examinations uncover.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: steely07 on January 19, 2008, 06:10:38 PM
sorry about the bad url Fellas :(
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: rpm on January 19, 2008, 11:54:53 PM
This had to happen sooner or later. It's an unavoidable hazard in fly by wire. Airbus had a similar accident at the 1988 Paris airshow .
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Chairboy on January 20, 2008, 12:05:43 AM
We've certainly seen what failures are possible with the hydraulic controls that FbW replaced.  If this is indeed a failure of that system, it's a pretty damn good record.

Perspective, folks.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Chairboy on January 20, 2008, 12:10:21 AM
Also, that's absolutely incorrect, RPM.  The Paris Air Show crash was because the pilot commanded full idle instead of approach idle, and it took too long to spool up when he commanded go around thrust.  It was not a failure of FbW, it was legit pilot error.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: rpm on January 20, 2008, 03:01:14 AM
My bad. I thought it was an fbw issue. Been a long time.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Holden McGroin on January 20, 2008, 03:11:48 AM
the first D-FbW flight was in the early seventies.

Its a fairly mature technology.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: OOZ662 on January 20, 2008, 05:03:00 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Furball
Wonder what could stop both engines responding like that?


The monkey between the throttle cable and the fuel pump fell asleep.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Hornet33 on January 20, 2008, 07:21:09 AM
I wonder if the flight control systems run on Windows software??

30 seconds to touch down.......wait for it.......Blue Screen of Death.......of CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!


Seriously though if both engines failed at the same time it sounds like a software glich in the computer. Kinda like the whole "Don't move your controls so rapidly" thing. The reason I say this is because acourding to the pilot he tried to move the thottle controls while they still had the auto thottle engaged. I'm wondering if the computer canceled both inputs out because they conflicted with the programing of the flight computer, hence the engines stopped responding and dumped the generators, then they lost the computers as well?

Anyone with experiance with fly by wire ever see something like this before?
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: cpxxx on January 20, 2008, 09:56:10 AM
Some talk of fuel waxing now as a possible cause.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: MiloMorai on January 20, 2008, 10:05:06 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Holden McGroin
the first D-FbW flight was in the early seventies.

Its a fairly mature technology.

Goes further back than that. A B-17 was set up for fbw in WW2.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Fishu on January 20, 2008, 11:10:37 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Hornet33
The reason I say this is because acourding to the pilot he tried to move the thottle controls while they still had the auto thottle engaged.


That would just disengage the autothrottle, which is a feature, not a leading cause to a bug.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Chairboy on January 20, 2008, 11:41:24 AM
The recorder indicates that the autothrottle requested power from the engines first, then the manual throttle was advanced.  The engines didn't respond to either, logically the problem was downstream.  I'm guessing fuel contamination, but it could be a problem with an engine controller or something too, I'm not familiar enough with the 777 systems to know where it's likely to be, but I'm sure we'll see a conclusion soon.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Toad on January 20, 2008, 12:49:23 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Chairboy
Also, that's absolutely incorrect, RPM.  The Paris Air Show crash was because the pilot commanded full idle instead of approach idle, and it took too long to spool up when he commanded go around thrust.  It was not a failure of FbW, it was legit pilot error.


If you are talking about Air France 296 at the Mulhouse-Habsheim Airport, there are some problems with that conclusion.  There are apparently some anomalies in the way the DFDR was handled and there's apparently an Airbus OEB on Engine Acceleration Deficiency at Low Altitude.

May not just be all on the pilot in that one.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Creamo08 on January 21, 2008, 10:38:49 PM
See Rules #4, #5
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Golfer on January 21, 2008, 11:12:42 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Creamo08
Actually, you have as much to do with Boeing jets as a janitor does mopping break rooms at Boeing. You don't hang engines, we do. You never have even put a qt. of oil in a 777. In fact, I'd be surprised if you could open the engine cowling.

STFU as you havn't a clue.


As if the pilots could either.  It's good to see a family atmosphere within the company. :rolleyes:


Well since that looks like a good way to get banned again.  Welcome back Creamo even if for a few minutes.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Creamo08 on January 21, 2008, 11:31:10 PM
See Rules #4, #5
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Golfer on January 22, 2008, 10:36:13 AM
I'm not sure he was implying he himself would hang the engines. I didn't get that vibe at all.  If you work for a company that makes an airplane and are trying to say what he say, he said it exactly right.  "We [Boeing] don't make engines." is exactly right.  "We [Boeing] only hang them on the airplane" is exactly right.  Not being on the shop floor doesn't mean he's not part of the company in whatever capacity, same goes for the janitor.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Brownshirt on January 22, 2008, 04:44:33 PM
I miss that Sphincterosaurus image... it was right on the mark.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Yeager on January 22, 2008, 04:55:28 PM
Dang rip, creamo has it hard for you, real hard :aok

What you do to the guy anyway? slaughter his family or something :confused:
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Bodhi on January 22, 2008, 06:08:17 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Yeager
Dang rip, creamo has it hard for you, real hard :aok

What you do to the guy anyway? slaughter his family or something :confused:



Sounds like a union guys attitude to me.  But ya never know.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: CMC Airboss on January 22, 2008, 09:43:32 PM
The leading cause being studied (by experts) is bad fuel which may have been contaminated with water.  
Fuel Contamination (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10487890)

Several "theorists" are saying that a cell phone call caused the 777's electronics to fail.  

There is a photo of the airplane just before the accident, which was taken by plane spotter David Spalton.
 http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article711639.ece

He also got some photos of the crash itself. Spalton's photos in the Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=509646&in_page_id=1770&in_page_id=1770&expand=true)
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Ripsnort on January 22, 2008, 09:59:15 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Golfer
As if the pilots could either.  It's good to see a family atmosphere within the company. :rolleyes:


Well since that looks like a good way to get banned again.  Welcome back Creamo even if for a few minutes.
He'd never make it as part of the family. He'd last about 5 minutes before he got his grease monkey *** fired. ;)

Hey Creamo, I suppose we just imagine that we hang engines.  They're kind of hard to miss in a dream. ;)

(http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/aerospace/library/Rolls-Royce787_engines.jpg)
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Ripsnort on January 22, 2008, 10:02:09 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Creamo08
Actually, you have as much to do with Boeing jets as a janitor does mopping break rooms at Boeing. You don't hang engines, we do. You never have even put a qt. of oil in a 777. In fact, I'd be surprised if you could open the engine cowling.

STFU as you havn't a clue.


Ironically, I was part of a team that design and built (via CAD/CAM and NC programming) about 75% of all the tooling for the 777. Not quite cracking the oil open, but most likely created the tool that helped create the opening where the oil entered. :cool:
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Brownshirt on January 22, 2008, 11:38:43 PM
Christ... amazing! :aok
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Yeager on January 22, 2008, 11:49:42 PM
Years back I used to spend time down at the engine build up facility north of MOF.  They did a heck of a lot more than just hang engines there, although I was just a technical illustrator at the time.......

Boeing works tight as thieves with the engine manufacturers, I think those engineers share the same DNA.  Once upon a time Boeing and PW were the same company :confused:
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Hien on January 23, 2008, 07:03:11 AM
Too bad they didn't catch the La-7 that got his engines...  Er...

Fuel... problems...   Right...  That's believable.  :D

Thankfully no one got hurt.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Maverick on January 23, 2008, 10:34:52 AM
No matter what the problem was, I hope the definintely get it nailed down and fixed. If it can happen once, it can happen several times.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Ripsnort on January 24, 2008, 01:36:11 PM
Here is the latest:  It appears both engines were running at the time of the crash:

Quote


Accident to a Boeing 777-236, G-YMMM, on 17 January 2008 - Initial Report Update


Accident to a Boeing 777-236, G-YMMM, on 17 January 2008 at 1243 hrs
Initial Report Update 23 January 2008

Since the issue of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) 1st Preliminary Report on Friday 18 January 2008 at 1700 hrs, work has continued on all fronts to identify why neither engine responded to throttle lever inputs during the final approach. The 150 tonne aircraft was moved from the threshold of Runway 27L to an airport apron on Sunday evening, allowing the airport to return to normal operations.

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.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Ripsnort on January 28, 2008, 07:42:29 AM
Another update: Potential bad fuel/slush in fuel:

Quote
Jan 25, 2008
By Guy Norris/Aviation Daily
U.K. Air Accidents Investigation Branch inspectors are examining the fuel system of the British Airways Boeing 777-200ER which crash-landed at London Heathrow Airport last week after updating its preliminary findings to say that both engines did briefly produce some thrust during the approach.
The AAIB, which initially indicated that the 777's Rolls-Royce Trent 895 engines failed to respond to an auto-throttle command, now says both engines spooled up when commanded but that the thrust levels soon reduced. The number two (right) engine reduced after about three seconds, while the number one engine power reduced after about eight seconds. The findings appear to be consistent with post-crash photographs that indicate considerably more fan damage to the number one engine than the number two engine, which appears relatively intact. The fan damage indicates the number one engine was running at some power on impact.
Investigators say that "all possible scenarios that could explain the thrust reduction and continued lack of response to throttle-lever inputs are being examined," and adds that flight data recorder information indicates normal performance from both engine control commands and the auto-throttle.
According to the British Airways 777 technical manual the autothrottle is controlled by the thrust management function, which operates the autothrottle in response to flight crew mode control panel inputs or to automatic flight management computer (FMC) commands. Thrust management calculates reference thrust limits and thrust settings, or follows FMC thrust settings as well as commands the thrust levers themselves. The system is also designed to sense and transmit autothrottle failures and commands thrust equalization through the engine electronic controls. The thrust levers can also, of course, be set manually by the crew.
Sources close to the investigation also tell The DAILY that British Airways engineers have been collecting fuel samples from every flight emanating from China. The sample collection, plus comments from the AAIB indicating the aircraft had "adequate" fuel remaining on board at the time of the crash, is believed to point toward suspicions of a heavier-than-fuel contaminant being present. Theories propounded by crew include the possible presence of water in the tanks that, having become frozen during the intense cold-soak period of the flight, partially melted and formed a slush that could have partially blocked the fuel lines.
Sources also tell The DAILY that upper air temperatures over Russia and northern Europe were extremely cold on the day of the accident. Information from other crews coming from Asia on Jan. 17 encountered extremely low temperatures in the -70 to -75 degrees C. range, resulting in fuel temperatures dipping into the -40s. European upper air temperatures also indicate the last 6.5 hours of the inbound China flight would have been flown at an outside air temperature of -60 deg. C. or lower. Although this would have resulted in fuel temperatures on approach in the -35 degrees C range, this would not normally constitute a problem unless, potentially, contaminants were present.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: chase4 on January 28, 2008, 09:03:29 AM
It's a hell of a coincedence that both engines should fail at the same time (at any time for that matter).  They're just lucky that they were on finals or a much bigger incident could have happened, i.e the plane landing smack bang in the middle of the surrounding housing estates.  IMO the pilot has intended to land on the grass in the hope that it could "soften" the impact.


to the "hero" pilot (ironically name John Coward)
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: SFRT - Frenchy on January 28, 2008, 11:39:12 AM
Not trying to steal anyone's thunder, but in my opinion the pilot had little room to work with. He surely did not pick his landing spot. He however did an outstanding job at managing his airspeed during his partial engine failure to "ride her down".
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Ripsnort on January 28, 2008, 11:54:14 AM
Quote
Originally posted by chase4
It's a hell of a coincedence that both engines should fail at the same time (at any time for that matter). They're just lucky that they were on finals or a much bigger incident could have happened, i.e the plane landing smack bang in the middle of the surrounding housing estates.  IMO the pilot has intended to land on the grass in the hope that it could "soften" the impact.


to the "hero" pilot (ironically name John Coward) [/B]
If you read that last portion of the article I pasted, it appears may have not been coincidence.

Quote
Sources close to the investigation also tell The DAILY that British Airways engineers have been collecting fuel samples from every flight emanating from China. The sample collection, plus comments from the AAIB indicating the aircraft had "adequate" fuel remaining on board at the time of the crash, is believed to point toward suspicions of a heavier-than-fuel contaminant being present. Theories propounded by crew include the possible presence of water in the tanks that, having become frozen during the intense cold-soak period of the flight, partially melted and formed a slush that could have partially blocked the fuel lines.
Sources also tell The DAILY that upper air temperatures over Russia and northern Europe were extremely cold on the day of the accident. Information from other crews coming from Asia on Jan. 17 encountered extremely low temperatures in the -70 to -75 degrees C. range, resulting in fuel temperatures dipping into the -40s. European upper air temperatures also indicate the last 6.5 hours of the inbound China flight would have been flown at an outside air temperature of -60 deg. C. or lower. Although this would have resulted in fuel temperatures on approach in the -35 degrees C range, this would not normally constitute a problem unless, potentially, contaminants were present.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Maverick on January 28, 2008, 12:56:46 PM
Rip, no provision for fuel tank and line heating other than returned fuel?
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Ripsnort on January 28, 2008, 01:04:10 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Maverick
Rip, no provision for fuel tank and line heating other than returned fuel?
Fuel tanks are heated to accomodate the freezing temperature of jet fuel but water freezes at a different temp than jet fuel. Looks like they encountered some extreme temperatures. I'm not sure if even a heated system could keep up with those sort of extremes and situation (water, fuel and contaminates) unless its on a thermostat....

I think what the article is saying that extremely cold jet fuel, water,  mixed with contaminates could create a "slush" that would seize fuel lines.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Airscrew on January 28, 2008, 01:49:21 PM
so maybe what I said back on the 18th
Quote
Originally posted by Airscrew
ok, was trying to be a bit funny,  let me say it another way,..

fuel starvation? blocked fuel lines?
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Maverick on January 28, 2008, 08:54:07 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Ripsnort
Fuel tanks are heated to accomodate the freezing temperature of jet fuel but water freezes at a different temp than jet fuel. Looks like they encountered some extreme temperatures. I'm not sure if even a heated system could keep up with those sort of extremes and situation (water, fuel and contaminates) unless its on a thermostat....

I think what the article is saying that extremely cold jet fuel, water,  mixed with contaminates could create a "slush" that would seize fuel lines.


Rip,

JP like diesel will gel before it freezes. I understand about the slush but I also figured that the fuel would be maintained above the freezing point of water just for that reason. That's why I asked about provisions for heating other than just returned fuel. I know the engines pump far more fuel than they use so returning fuel, if routed around the engine, would certainly be warm returning to the tanks.
Title: 777 - 'You have ditched'
Post by: Vulcan on January 28, 2008, 09:26:21 PM
Chinese fuel huh? Did they check it for lead?