Heathrow Closed: Plane On Fire Over Central London

[6Foot2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJWyFk9NTW8

 

Edit:

 

BBC News: BBC News - Heathrow Airport runways closed after plane 'fire'

Edited May 24, 2013 by 6Foot2
Add BBC news link to the story.

[FN-GM]

Looks like an engine failure. Happens multiple times a day around the world. Not really as of a big deal as the news make out, it isn't on fire as such. This site reports about many of them - The Aviation Herald

 

This one at Manchester is more serious -

Edited May 24, 2013 by FN-GM

[DarkCloud]

Wow. Smoke coming out of the engine and the diagnosis is engine failure. Impressive.

[plexer]

Plane Finder ? Live Flight Status Tracker is an impressive site though

 

Ben

[FN-GM]

Wow. Smoke coming out of the engine and the diagnosis is engine failure. Impressive.

 

Well not always. Smoke can come out of them with an oil leak. The oil leaks onto hot parts and burns creating smoke.

[DarkCloud]

Another revelation! Oil leaking onto hot engine parts creates smoke! Shock!

[6Foot2]

Sky news are now showing a video on this page:

 

Link: Sky News - First For Breaking News From The UK And Around The World

 

http://i.snag.gy/SnWHB.jpg

 

The commentary on the video makes reference to the possibility of a bird strike.

[Dos_Box]

If any of you have read the Micheal Creighton book Airframe it gives a very nice overview of the safety measures employed and designed into modern passenger aircraft, and if you are even slightly scared of flying I recommend you read this. In particular was a bit where an aircraft designer was watching news footage of a 'fire' on an aircraft he had designed and he was ranting about how it was only an oil leak and perfectly safe as the media blew it out of all proportions.

Anyway, look it up if you can.

[DeltaBravo]

No big issue as already said, Just the news like to over hype things

 

Heck the plane could have lost both engines and it would have still probably been fine gliding back to heathrow from the height it was at.

[jinnantonnixx]

Where's the engine casing? Presumably that's fallen off somewhere, or is it open and the bottom cover out of view? Edited May 24, 2013 by jinnantonnixx

[CESIL]

I am confused...the BBC video shows the starboard engine billowing smoke but the Sky one seems to be showing the port engine...or is one of the videos back to front?

[rickjames]

Is this why the flights to Boston I was going to book very soon have rocketed up? Ah.

[Rawns]

Where's the engine casing? Presumably that's fallen off somewhere, or is it open and the bottom cover out of view?

 

I think the pilots can open it from the cockpit to allow greater air circulation around the hidden engine components.

[bladedanny]

I am confused...the BBC video shows the starboard engine billowing smoke but the Sky one seems to be showing the port engine...or is one of the videos back to front?

 

The video on sky news of the engine close up says "This is the less effected engine" so presumably both had trouble and it was the starboard smoking but the port in the sky news video. (presuming my port and starboard are correct).

[Grey-gear]

Seems to be a bad day for air travel, just read this on the BBC News website: -

 

RAF jets scrambled after incident

[creese]

Now might be a good time to book my flight for October.

[psydii]

""The pilots subsequently reported that one engine was shut down and the other engine was on fire"

 

::boggle::

[Andrew_C]

""The pilots subsequently reported that one engine was shut down and the other engine was on fire"

Almost exactly what caused the crash at Kegworth! The pilot reported a fire warning in one engine, but the good one was shut down. ISTR he got the blame.

[6Foot2]

It is now reported that maintenance procedures were not completed before the aircraft was released for flight:

 

Link: BBC News - Heathrow emergency landing: Engine doors 'left unlatched'

 

...Air accident experts said the coverings - the fan cowl doors - broke off and punctured the right engine's fuel pipe, damaging the aircraft's systems.

 

A fire then broke out in the right engine of the Airbus A319 British Airways flight to Oslo...