BA295 flight crisis now nothing: 5 British Airways emergencies from the past; stories of crisis and survival | Today’s news
British Airways flight BA295 returned to Heathrow after a cabin pressurization problem on 5 October. The Boeing 777-200ER was flying from London to Chicago when trouble arose over Ireland.
Flight tracking showed a descent from 36,000 feet to 9,000 feet in about 7 minutes. The crew issued distress code 7700 and turned back to London. The descent helped the plane reach an altitude where additional oxygen was no longer needed. He landed safely at Heathrow.
Read also | Flight Status BA295: Aircraft descends 27,000 feet in 7 minutes; What happened?
The incident brings to mind 5 previous British Airways emergencies involving damaged aircraft, intrusions and engine failure. Take a look.
June 1990: Cockpit windshield failure
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
British Airways flight BA295 experienced a cabin pressurization problem that prompted the crew to initiate an emergency descent from 36,000 feet to 9,000 feet before returning to Heathrow.
Flight BA295 declared an emergency due to loss of cabin pressure, requiring a rapid descent to ensure passenger safety and breathing air.
The crew of flight BA295 managed the cabin pressurization problem by performing a controlled descent to a lower altitude where additional oxygen was no longer required.
Distress code 7700 indicates a general emergency that alerts air traffic controllers that the aircraft requires immediate assistance, but does not specify the nature of the emergency.
Although cabin pressurization problems can be serious, commercial airlines such as British Airways are trained for such cases and safety measures are in place to ensure the safety of passengers.
On 10 June 1990, flight 5390 departed Birmingham for Malaga. Approximately 13 minutes later, the cockpit windscreen cracked while climbing over Oxfordshire.
The BAC One-Eleven was at about 17,300 feet when the cabin suddenly lost pressure. Captain Tim Lancaster was partially pulled out of the cockpit window. Flight attendant Nigel Ogden grabbed his legs while colleagues helped hold him safely.
Co-pilot Alastair Atcheson landed the British Airways plane at Southampton despite high winds and noise. Lancaster survived frostbite, fractures and shock. All on board survived. The windshield was mounted using screws that were a little too small.
Read also | British Airways Flight 7700 alert over Ireland: What does it mean?
June 1982: An encounter with volcanic ash
On 24 June 1982, Flight 009 flew from Kuala Lumpur to Perth. His Boeing 747 was engulfed in volcanic ash from Indonesia’s Mount Galunggung.
The ash damaged the cockpit windows and caused all four engines to stop working. The aircraft lost altitude while fumes entered the cabin.
After leaving the ash plume, the crew restarted the three engines. They landed at Jakarta’s Halim Perdanakusuma Airport despite damaged windows. All 263 people on board survived.
December 2000: A passenger enters the cockpit
On 29 December 2000, Flight 2069 flew from London Gatwick to Nairobi. A passenger forced his way into the cockpit of a Boeing 747 at an altitude of 35,000 feet.
He interfered with the steering, causing a steep descent of around 6,000 feet. Passengers were thrown around and several sustained injuries.
Captain William Hagan, First Officer Phil Watson and others overpowered the intruders. The crew regained control and the British Airways flight landed safely in Nairobi.
Read also | British Airways flight declares state of emergency over Ireland after descent: Report
January 2008: Loss of engine power
On 17 January 2008, Flight 38 approached Heathrow en route from Beijing. His Boeing 777 had performance problems in both engines at around 600 feet.
The aircraft landed hard on the grass in front of Runway 27L. Its landing gear collapsed and the aircraft sustained severe damage.
Investigators linked the restricted fuel flow to ice in the device, heat exchange between fuel and oil. The crew cleaned the perimeter fence of the airport before landing. All 152 passengers survived and the passengers were evacuated.
September 2015: Fire at launch
On 8 September 2015, Flight 2276 was preparing to depart from Las Vegas to London Gatwick. His Boeing 777 suffered a major left engine failure on takeoff.
Debris from the engine damaged the fuel tanks and started a fire around the left wing and fuselage of the aircraft. The pilots aborted the takeoff and the crew members evacuated everyone using the emergency chutes.
The flight was carrying 170 passengers and crew. Minor injuries were reported during the evacuation, while firefighters prevented a major disaster.
