BA Flies in Team of Experts to Move Crash-Land Jet Off the Runway

The wreckage of flight BA038 was being painstakingly moved inch by inch last night from the southern runway at Heathrow Airport.

The Boeing 777 started its slow 500-metre journey from the end of the southern runway to the airline’s engineering base at Hatton Cross in the afternoon using specialist equipment from a Staffordshire firm.

The aircraft crash-landed after its engines failed on Thursday afternoon with all 136 passengers and 16 crew escaping from the flight from Beijing.

Senior first officer John Coward, under the command of Captain Peter Burkill, from Worcester, averted disaster by landing the craft just within Heathrow’s fence following the malfunction.

Members of the Air Accident Investigation Branch have remained with the jet since the crash-landing, working through the night to determine the cause of the fault.

An initial report released by the AAIB said all had gone normally with the flight until the aircraft was just two miles from touchdown and at a height of 600ft. The early findings appeared to corroborate various claims the plane had suddenly lost power.

British Airways yesterday explained its plans to move the 200- tonne craft.

The BA Aircraft Recovery Team placed the 209ft aircraft on to electronically-controlled platforms positioned under the belly of the aircraft.

Specialist equipment designed for such scenarios arrived from Staffordshire-based firm ALE in the morning.

To prepare for the move, the airline’s expert recovery team had been working round the clock since Thursday to stabilise and steady the aircraft and prepare it for the move.

Bruce Hunter, general manager of operational maintenance, said: “BA’s specialist recovery team of 20 engineers flies round the world helping airlines move stranded aircraft.

“The team has already painstakingly lifted the aircraft to prepare it for the move.”

Hydraulic jacks and air bags were used to position eight canvas strops under the belly of the hull. These are attached to two specialist cranes each capable of lifting 150 tonnes.

Once in position the aircraft was jacked up inch by inch until it was at the right height for the three platforms to be positioned. Each wheeled platform is capable of holding 80 tonnes.

The AAIB and BA staff will continue to investigate the crash landing from the hangers at Hatton Cross.

The preliminary report from the AAIB into the incident is due out within 30 days.

One person suffered a broken leg and others received minor injuries during the emergency evacuation of the aircraft.

Mr Coward, who guided the plane in, said how he feared everyone on board was going to die.

The 41-year-old told the Sunday Mirror how he became aware of a loss of power on board the plane on the final approach to the airport. The father-of-three said: “When I came in to land, I thought, ‘This is going to be a catastrophic crash. This is it’.

“Suddenly there was nothing from any of the engines, and the plane started to glide. I didn’t think we’d clear the fence at first. As we landed I was bracing myself for an enormous thud. But instead of one thud, there was a series of thuds as it bounced along the grass.”

Normal services at Heathrow Airport resumed on Saturday and continued yesterday, with the British Airports Authority reporting a “small number” of cancellations.

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