Event Details


Title:Apparent fuel leak, Boeing 777-236, G-YMME
Micro summary:This Boeing 777-236 experienced an apparent fuel leak, prompting a diversion.
Event Time:2004-06-10 at 1907 UTC
File Name:2004-06-10-UK.pdf
Publishing Agency:Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB)
Publishing Country:United Kingdom
Report number:EW/C2004/06/01
Pages:209
Site of event:EGLL
Departure:London Heathrow Airport, London, England, United Kingdom
Destination:Harare International Airport, Harare, Zimbabwe
Airplane Type(s):Boeing 777-236
Flight Phase:Climb
Registration(s):G-YMME
Operator(s):British Airways
Type of flight:Revenue
Occupants:166
Fatalities:0
Serious Injuries:0
Minor/Non-Injured:166
Other Injuries:0
Executive Summary:The aircraft was scheduled to fly from London Heathrow to Harare, Zimbabwe and was loaded with 101,100 kg of fuel. After a normal start up and taxi, the aircraft took off from Runway 27L expecting to fly a Midhurst 3G Standard Instrument Departure. Immediately after takeoff, an aircraft at the runway holding point reported a trail of smoke from the rear of the departing aircraft and a smell of fuel vapour. This was acknowledged and the aircraft continued on its planned departure, climbing to 6,000 feet amsl. As there were no abnormal indications on the flight deck and nothing visible from within the aircraft, the crew considered it likely that they were leaking fuel from the centre tank. This was reinforced by further reports from the ground and other aircraft of a two-mile vapour trail from the rear of the aircraft. The pilots decided to dump fuel in order to reduce the aircraft's weight to maximum landing weight and to return to Heathrow. An emergency was declared and the aircraft transferred to a discreet frequency whilst ATC directed the aircraft over the sea during the ensuing 25 minutes of fuel dumping. With approximately 4,000 kg of fuel remaining in the centre tank, an ILS approach was made to Runway 27L. There were no reports of any fuel leaking during the approach and the landing was made with minimum braking in order to keep the brake units as cool as possible. The Airfield Fire and Rescue Service met the aircraft and reported some vapour emanating from the left main landing gear wheel unit but no apparent fuel leaks. As a precaution, the left engine was shutdown and the aircraft was taxied back to a stand where the passengers were disembarked normally.
Learning Keywords:Operations - Deadstick/Power Loss
Systems - Fuel
Systems - Fuel - Leak
Close match:All Engines-out Landing Due to Fuel Exhaustion, Air Transat, Airbus A330-243 marks C-GITS, Lajes, Azores, Portugal, 24 August 2001
Engine fire on takeoff, Air Zimbabwe, Boeing 707-330B, Z-WKU at Shannon Airport, Ireland, 1997-03-10
Multiple system failures, Airbus A340-642, G-VATL
Uncontained engine failure, Boeing 737-236 series 1, G-BGJL
Engine fire, McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30, N68065
In-flight loss of both engines, McDonnell Douglas MD-82, June 4, 2002
Fuel exhaustion, Executive Airlines, British Aerospace J-3101, N16EJ, Bear Creek Township, Pennsylvania, May 21, 2000
Fuel exhaustion, Overseas National Airways, Inc., Douglas DC-9, N935F, Operating As Antilliaanse Luchtvaart Maatschappij Flight 980, Near St. Croix, Virgin Islands, May 2, 1970
Crash following engine failure, Southern Airways, Inc., DC-9-31, N1335U, New Hope, Georgia, April 4, 1977
Fuel exhaustion, Avianca, The Airline Of Columbia, Boeing 707-321 B, HK 2016, Fuel Exhaustion, Cove Neck, New York, January 25, 1990
Fuel starvation, United Airlines, Inc., McDonnell-Douglas DC-8-61, N8082U, Portland, Oregon, December 28, 1978
Power loss in thunderstorm, Air Wisconsin, Swearingen SA-226 Metro, N650S, Valley, Nebraska, June 12, 1980
Engine fire, Airbus Industrie A300, July 9, 1998
Engine fire, Boeing 757-232, April 17, 2003
Bird ingestion into both engines, Douglas DC-9-15F, March 4, 1999
Uncontained engine failure and fuel tank puncture, Boeing 747-130, August 14, 1995
Overspeed And Loss Of Power On Both Engines During Descent And Power-Off Emergency Landing, Simmons Airlines, Inc., D/B/A American Eagle Flight 3641, N349SB False River Air Park, New Roads, Louisiana, February 1, 1994
Foreign object ingestion and dual power loss, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-87, March 14, 1997
Dual engine failure and loss of directional control, Douglas DC-9-32, Windsor Locks, December 19, 1995
Ethiopian Airlines B767 (ET-AIZ) Aircraft Accident In the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros, in the Indian Ocean on November 23, 1996
Uncontrolled collision with terrain, Flagship Airlines, Inc., dba American Eagle Flight 3379, BAe Jetstream 3201, N918AE, Morrisville, North Carolina, December 13, 1994
Engine fire, McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30, G-NIUK, May 11, 1997
Maintenance Error — In-flight fuel leak, Air Canada Airbus A330-300, C-GHKX, Vancouver International Airport, British Columbia, 06 November 2003

 




Accident Reports on DVD, Copyright © 2006 by Flight Simulation Systems, LLC.  All Rights Reserved.
 All referenced trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
www.fss.aero