Boeing crash: 'No evidence of mechanical defect'

[JohnDotCom]

Boeing crash: 'No evidence of mechanical defect'

An investigation into the British Airways' Boeing 777 that crash-landed at Heathrow airport last month has found "no evidence" of a mechanical defect or of a take-in of ice or a birdstrike.
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A report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said that the data from the flight recording systems indicated there were "no anomalies in the major aircraft systems."
It also concluded: "The autopilot and the autothrottle systems behaved correctly and the engine control systems were providing the correct commands prior to, during and after the reduction in thrust.
"Examination of the engines indicated no evidence of a mechanical defect or ingestion of birds or ice".
Samples taken from the fuel tanks showed that there were "no signs of contamination or unusual levels of water content".
However, the relevance of small items of debris found in the fuel tanks are "still being considered".
The Boeing 777 had 136 passengers and 16 crew on board the flight which was traveling from Beijing to London on January 17.
The cockpit crew were unable to get the required thrust from the engines as the plane came into land and the aircraft was forced to come down on the grass "some 1,000ft short of the paved runway surface and just inside the airfield boundary fence", the report said

[podge]

This is turning into a really interesting one John, thank goodness no one was seriously hurt and thank goodness AAIB have the complete airframe to investigate.It appears the HPx fuel pumps had cavitation damage, this is nothing unusual and they were in fact within limits and could cope with max fuel flow if required.Very lucky there was no fire, the fire handles were pulled( which amongst many things signals shut main fuel/hydraulic valves), but the main fuel valves were found to be open(circuits damaged by undercarriage damage)...hence fuel everywhere, this aircraft was due a Boeing mod to prevent this likely scenario.One point, had aircraft continued on autopilot landing....it would have been signalled nose up....one thing you don't require at low speed when in close proximity to ground! very quick thinking by crew at last moments to disconect. The AAIB have their work really cut out on this one.Pete.

[Jamie]

Fascinating...I was wondering why this story had gone quiet...be interesting if it does come down to 'Debris' in the fuel or due to a modification that was needed....I remember a 747 incident that exploded in mid air, blowing off the front of the plane....it contiued to climb and accelarate in 'decapitated form' in a ball of flames...then slowly nosed dived, they say that it must have a deeply horrifying incident for those that survived the intial explosion....the cause was belived to be in the fuel tanks that hadnt been modified and ignited by cables which had arced.

This interested me as I worked in China and some of my ex colleagues still fly to and fro to the main land. scary.

[podge]

Just to give you an idea of continued airworthyness/safety Jamie, we still do tests on our 747-400s on systems that Boeing think might have been related to that accident.

[JohnDotCom]

I am with my Colleagues, thoroughly checking all the Update software, design programs etc for any error in line Code etc.
Back to States again to run some more detailed scenarios with Boeing, but at moment from what I can disclose, no problems what so ever have been found,
and I fly on planes with the Updated software.
To date out of Thousands of Tests, Take Off and landings both Auto and Manual we have not been able to Replicate or see any sign of this incident occurring again.
It is still safer to Fly than Use any other form of transport.

[podge]

I would go with all of that as well, my triple seven avionic colleques are of a similar opinion.Second that last note, the trouble we all take keeping it that way would suprise quite a lot of the travelling public....but then when you sign one off its your neck as well.I have often wondered how much safer some other forms of public transport would be if you made the people who maintain them as accountable as we have to be...just a thought, not meant as a general reflection on standards.

[JohnDotCom]

I agree with your Comments.
Before I sign anything off, I have to know its all fully working as it should be and Won't countersign anything I haven't personally checked.
Its our Necks on the Block.