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| Experts probe Heathrow air crash | Experts probe Heathrow air crash |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Investigators are trying to find out why a British Airways plane - carrying more than 150 people - was forced to crash-land at London's Heathrow. | |
| All 136 passengers and 16 crew survived after the Boeing 777 crash-landed short of the south runway, near a busy road, possibly after both its engines failed. | |
| The Air Accidents Investigation Branch will interview the pilot and crew and file an initial report in 48 hours. | |
| Passengers are advised to check with their airline before going to Heathrow. | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is on a visit to China, has praised 43-year-old pilot Peter Burkill's "professionalism" for managing to avert a major disaster. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is on a visit to China, has praised 43-year-old pilot Peter Burkill's "professionalism" for managing to avert a major disaster. |
| The AAIB will now be checking flight data and cockpit voice recorders at its headquarters in Farnborough, delivering a further preliminary report within 30 days. | The AAIB will now be checking flight data and cockpit voice recorders at its headquarters in Farnborough, delivering a further preliminary report within 30 days. |
| Wings damaged | Wings damaged |
| More than 200 flights had to be cancelled or diverted to other airports following the accident at lunchtime on Thursday. | More than 200 flights had to be cancelled or diverted to other airports following the accident at lunchtime on Thursday. |
| Witnesses described the plane coming in very low and landing short of the runway, before skidding across grass and tarmac. | Witnesses described the plane coming in very low and landing short of the runway, before skidding across grass and tarmac. |
| Part of the undercarriage, including two wheels were torn off, and there was some damage to the wings. | Part of the undercarriage, including two wheels were torn off, and there was some damage to the wings. |
| I could hear the undercarriage come out and the next moment the plane just dropped Paul Venter, passenger Eyewitness accountsWhat went wrong at Heathrow | I could hear the undercarriage come out and the next moment the plane just dropped Paul Venter, passenger Eyewitness accountsWhat went wrong at Heathrow |
| Eighteen people needed treatment for minor injuries, including whiplash. By Thursday night, all but one female passenger had been discharged. | Eighteen people needed treatment for minor injuries, including whiplash. By Thursday night, all but one female passenger had been discharged. |
| Mr Brown's own flight to China was delayed following the accident - which happened within sight of him and his entourage. | Mr Brown's own flight to China was delayed following the accident - which happened within sight of him and his entourage. |
| Tribute | Tribute |
| He said: "I think it's right to pay tribute to the calmness and professionalism of the British Airways staff and the captain and what he achieved in landing the aircraft. | He said: "I think it's right to pay tribute to the calmness and professionalism of the British Airways staff and the captain and what he achieved in landing the aircraft. |
| "The speed of the evacuation we saw at first-hand, and the total professionalism and dedication of the staff. | "The speed of the evacuation we saw at first-hand, and the total professionalism and dedication of the staff. |
| "It's at times like these you remember you are in the hands of staff who do a remarkable job." | "It's at times like these you remember you are in the hands of staff who do a remarkable job." |
| British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh also paid tribute to the air crew, describing them as "heroes". | British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh also paid tribute to the air crew, describing them as "heroes". |
| He said: "All of the crew did a fantastic job evacuating the 136 passengers. Everyone at British Airways is very proud of them." | He said: "All of the crew did a fantastic job evacuating the 136 passengers. Everyone at British Airways is very proud of them." |
| Mr Burkill is described an "experienced" pilot who has been with the airline for nearly 20 years. | Mr Burkill is described an "experienced" pilot who has been with the airline for nearly 20 years. |
| CRASH INVESTIGATOR ROBIN TYDEMAN Flew for the RAF for 20 yearsWorked as a flying instructor on large aircraftInvestigated the Noel Edmonds event helicopter crash in 1998Investigated the 1998 Fairchild Connell crashInvestigated the Dash 7 crash in 1999 that killed a former Red Arrows pilot | CRASH INVESTIGATOR ROBIN TYDEMAN Flew for the RAF for 20 yearsWorked as a flying instructor on large aircraftInvestigated the Noel Edmonds event helicopter crash in 1998Investigated the 1998 Fairchild Connell crashInvestigated the Dash 7 crash in 1999 that killed a former Red Arrows pilot |
| Robin Tydeman, a former RAF and commercial pilot, has been appointed as the investigator in charge. | Robin Tydeman, a former RAF and commercial pilot, has been appointed as the investigator in charge. |
| He has 10 years experience of air accident investigation, including a helicopter crash in 1998 that killed a nine-year-old boy at a Noel Edmonds charity event in Scotland. | He has 10 years experience of air accident investigation, including a helicopter crash in 1998 that killed a nine-year-old boy at a Noel Edmonds charity event in Scotland. |
| So far neither British Airways nor the authorities at Heathrow will speculate about the cause of the accident. | So far neither British Airways nor the authorities at Heathrow will speculate about the cause of the accident. |
| An unnamed airport worker interviewed by the BBC said that the captain had told him that the Boeing 777-200ER had lost all power after "all the electronics" failed while the plane came in to land. | An unnamed airport worker interviewed by the BBC said that the captain had told him that the Boeing 777-200ER had lost all power after "all the electronics" failed while the plane came in to land. |
| Flock of birds | Flock of birds |
| Theories as to cause of the crash include a sudden mechanical or electronic failure, pilot error, or a freak collision with a flock of birds flying into the engines. | Theories as to cause of the crash include a sudden mechanical or electronic failure, pilot error, or a freak collision with a flock of birds flying into the engines. |
| Aviation expert Julian Bray said it appeared the plane "suffered a very late technical incident which caused a catastrophic total loss of power in one or more engines". | Aviation expert Julian Bray said it appeared the plane "suffered a very late technical incident which caused a catastrophic total loss of power in one or more engines". |
| Witnesses on board the plane said they only became aware of a problem just before the plane was due to land. | Witnesses on board the plane said they only became aware of a problem just before the plane was due to land. |
| Passenger Jerome Ensinck said: "There was no indication that we were going to have a bad landing. When we hit the ground, it was extremely rough, but I've had rough landings before and I thought 'This is the roughest I've had'." | Passenger Jerome Ensinck said: "There was no indication that we were going to have a bad landing. When we hit the ground, it was extremely rough, but I've had rough landings before and I thought 'This is the roughest I've had'." |
| Antonio De Crescenzo, 52, from Naples in Italy, said: "We were coming in to land but the plane felt like it should have been taking off. The engines were roaring and then we landed and it was just banging. | Antonio De Crescenzo, 52, from Naples in Italy, said: "We were coming in to land but the plane felt like it should have been taking off. The engines were roaring and then we landed and it was just banging. |
| "It felt very sudden. Some people started to scream. It was quite terrifying although people seemed to be quite calm." | "It felt very sudden. Some people started to scream. It was quite terrifying although people seemed to be quite calm." |
| Grounding | Grounding |
| The Chief Inspector of Air Accidents, David King, warned it could take some time to discover the cause of the crash. | The Chief Inspector of Air Accidents, David King, warned it could take some time to discover the cause of the crash. |
| But he said: "I have a duty to take any action we consider necessary as soon as we become aware of any safety-related aspects arising from the investigation." | But he said: "I have a duty to take any action we consider necessary as soon as we become aware of any safety-related aspects arising from the investigation." |
| So far BA are not grounding any of the 43 Boeing 777 planes in its fleet. | So far BA are not grounding any of the 43 Boeing 777 planes in its fleet. |
| The aircraft is generally thought by experts to be extremely reliable, with no serious accidents involving the 777 since the plane first went into production in 1996. | The aircraft is generally thought by experts to be extremely reliable, with no serious accidents involving the 777 since the plane first went into production in 1996. |
| A spokesman for Boeing in America said the company is providing technical assistance to the AAIB but declined to comment further. | A spokesman for Boeing in America said the company is providing technical assistance to the AAIB but declined to comment further. |
| The company that manufactures the 777's engines - Rolls-Royce - said it would offer every assistance to the inquiry. | The company that manufactures the 777's engines - Rolls-Royce - said it would offer every assistance to the inquiry. |
| Some "ongoing disruption" to flights is expected while the runway is cleared, but the British Airports Authority (BAA) said it hoped to "near normal operations" on Friday. | Some "ongoing disruption" to flights is expected while the runway is cleared, but the British Airports Authority (BAA) said it hoped to "near normal operations" on Friday. |