British Airways Flight Catches Fire at Gatwick Airport Due to Pilot Error
A British Airways flight from London Gatwick Airport to Vancouver caught fire during take-off on June 28, 2024, after a pilot confused his left and right hands, according to a report by the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB). The incident, which was reported by The Independent, resulted in a rejected take-off and a brake fire, forcing the pilot to perform a high-speed emergency stop on the runway.
The AAIB report, as cited by The Independent, stated that the co-pilot, who had over 6,000 flying hours of experience, was supposed to "move his left hand during the takeoff roll, while preparing to pull back on the control column with his right hand." However, he unintentionally pulled his left hand back instead, leading to the "action slip." This error resulted in the aircraft reaching speeds of over 190mph before the pilot was able to bring it to a halt.
According to The Independent, airport fire and rescue services attended the aircraft and extinguished the fire on the right main landing gear. The incident also resulted in the temporary closure of Gatwick Airport’s main runway, with 16 inbound flights being diverted elsewhere and a further 23 cancelled. Fortunately, none of the 347 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 777 were injured.
The co-pilot, who was described as being "well-rested and feeling fine" at the time of the incident, insisted that he "could not identify a reason" why the mishap occurred. The captain stepped in to
