News British Airways 777 Flight 2276 Fire at Las Vegas

[Thunder Chicken]

A British Airways B777, Flight 2276 bound for Gatwick with 127 onboard, suffered a major engine fire on the tarmac at Las Vegas airport.

Preliminary reports indicate the aircraft was evacuated with only two injuries.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Ouch... couple million dollars going up in smoke there...

 

[Andy44]

Well, it's Vegas, maybe somebody lost a bet?

:hide:

 

[boogabooga]

Ouch... couple million dollars going up in smoke there...

Pretty much sums up Las Vegas...

 

[Col_Klonk]

We had a similar situation here many years ago... when a competition local airline was passing the national carrier, who's one engine had just caught fire.

The competition captain, quick off the mark, was reported to have said over the intercom...

'Ladies and Gentlemen, if you look out your right hand windows, you'll see our competition's aircraft on fire. Are you not now happy that you have chosen to fly with abc airlines'

:rofl:

 

[IronRain]

The passengers already received a letter from British Airways:

https://twitter.com/JacobSteinberg/status/641473372208009216/photo/1

Note the bottom line :lol:

 

[Thunder Chicken]

The passengers already received a letter from British Airways:

It looks like a photocopy out of a local emergency procedure manual.

---------- Post added at 06:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:35 AM ----------

Nope, that's not going to buff out:

That was a bad fire. It doesn't look like there was much engine involvement. Maybe a fuel system failure?

Injury total now is being reported as 13 to 14 individuals, depending on news source.

 

[Col_Klonk]

I wonder if that pic has been edited, as that's the main fuel tank area... I'd expect an complete burnout, if not explosion of sorts ?

 

[Urwumpe]

I wonder if that pic has been edited, as that's the main fuel tank area... I'd expect an complete burnout, if not explosion of sorts ?

That's where the air conditioning units are, which could be a possible source.

Also, fuel tanks only explode if you have a fuel/air mixture contained inside them, which ignites - so that the deflagration can cause an explosion.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

To my eye it does not appear that the fuselage itself was actually breached (not a major breach anyway) - it just looks like the wing root fairing burned away. Maybe there was a fuel leak? I'd think engine fuel lines would be closer to the wing strut but maybe I'm wrong.

Good job getting that jet evacuated! Emergency response seems to have been prompt and quite good.

 

[Andy44]

Yeah, I've thought about that before.

Sitting in an airplane loaded with jet fuel that's on fire = me jumping over seats to get to the nearest exit ASAP.

Scary stuff.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Flight 2276 was to be the second to last flight before retirement for the 42 year veteran pilot, Chris Henkey:

Damn, those are some sweet threads!

He's probably done flying as a pilot now. Hope he gets to Barbados.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/pilot-who-saved-burning-flight-idd-veteran-nearing-retirement-n424416

---------- Post added at 06:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:37 PM ----------

Yeah, I've thought about that before.

Sitting in an airplane loaded with jet fuel that's on fire = me jumping over seats to get to the nearest exit ASAP.

Scary stuff.

I keep thinking that every time I fly and it takes people 20+ minutes to board - "No way we're going to get all these people out of this sardine can in a timely manner in case of emergency". Well, they got them all off in less than 90 seconds. A quart of adrenaline in your system and no regard for your overhead baggage probably expedites things nicely!

I can't imagine being one of people in the seats adjacent to the fire. The fire wasn't out on the wing - it was melting the cabin windows. If nothing else, I'm pretty sure 127 seat cushions will need replacement if that aircraft is ever to be made airworthy again. Though my bet is that this 777 is done flying.

 

[Andy44]

I would think twice before putting that airframe back in service. May well wind up being parted out.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I would think twice before putting that airframe back in service. May well wind up being parted out.

True, the "cann bird" looks like a likely fate.

Reminds me of when I was in the ANG. My maintenance squadron was getting a group photo taken for some reason, and the civilian photographer asked which plane we wanted to be photographed with. Some wag shouted the tail number of our cann bird - a plane so stripped of parts that we ultimately had to put some parts back on to make it a static display. So all 300+ of us, laughing, assembled and got our pictures taken in front of something that looked like a derelict reclaimed from the boneyard. When our CO came out he yelled at us and laughed and asked the photographer to please use one of our well-maintained ships as a backdrop.

 

[C3PO]

I keep thinking that every time I fly and it takes people 20+ minutes to board - "No way we're going to get all these people out of this sardine can in a timely manner in case of emergency". Well, they got them all off in less than 90 seconds. A quart of adrenaline in your system and no regard for your overhead baggage probably expedites things nicely!

Overhead luggage has proven to be deadly in the past. [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airtours_Flight_28M"]British Airtours Flight 28M - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

The problem is that some people go "on autopilot" when panic stricken. On flight 28M some passengers were still getting their luggage out while the cabin was filling with smoke.
Watching the news about this evacuation I noticed that several passengers were carrying suitcases across the runway, and that reminded me of an interview with a survivor of 28M. She went over the seats because other passengers were standing in the aisle sorting out their luggage.

I guess that this problem will remain until evacuation training is required to get on a plane. (Personally I think that would be over-kill, but you never know these days.)

 

[Notebook]

Chap has decided he won't be doing anymore flying:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34206347

Probably get a free boat trip if he plays his cards right.

N.

 

[Urwumpe]

Chap has decided he won't be doing anymore flying:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34206347

Probably get a free boat trip if he plays his cards right.

N.

The only question left then is: Cunard Line Cruiser or Royal Navy Cruiser?

 

[Notebook]

RN hasn't had any cruisers since....? So it'll have to be Cunard.
BA used to do a deal with a Concorde crossing one-way, and back on a liner. Three days in NY I think. Quite a good deal at the time, but out of my holiday spend.

N.

 

[n122vu]

Chap has decided he won't be doing anymore flying:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34206347

Probably get a free boat trip if he plays his cards right.

N.

Well, at least he went out with a bang......

:tumbleweed:


At least he went out in a blaze of glory......

 

[Urwumpe]

RN hasn't had any cruisers since....? So it'll have to be Cunard.

1979 actually. The last Tiger-class cruiser HMS Blake had been withdrawn from service in that year.