Location: London Heathrow Airport, the world's busiest international airport.
Context: Post-Christmas and New Year holiday rush.
Security: Heightened security due to IRA's terrorist campaign.
Flight Details
Flight: British Midland Flight 092 to Belfast
Aircraft: Boeing 737-400 series, launched a year earlier.
Crew:
Captain: Kevin Hunt, 43 years old, 25 years of flying experience.
First Officer: David McClelland, 39 years old, 53 hours on the 737-400.
Passengers: 118 on board, including healthcare worker Gareth Jones.
Aircraft Specifications
New improvements:
CFM56 engines, the most powerful of their kind.
State-of-the-art cockpit technology with computerized screens and LED dials.
Timeline of Events
7:15 PM: Flight 092 boards and passengers take their seats.
7:52 PM: Flight takes off; conditions are perfect.
8:05 PM: 13 minutes into the flight, the aircraft climbs to altitude and suddenly experiences a massive bang and violent vibrations.
Passengers react in panic; cabin crew attempts to calm them.
Gareth Jones helps a distressed passenger.
Engine Troubles
Diagnosis in Cockpit:
Captain Hunt and First Officer McClelland suspect engine trouble due to vibrations and smoke.
Difficulty interpreting the new cockpit displays (LED dials).
8:10 PM: Captain announces to passengers that he has shut down the malfunctioning engine, believing it to be under control.
Critical Moments Leading to Crash
8:20 PM: Another loud bang; vibrations worsen, indicating issues with the remaining engine.
8:24 PM: Captain Hunt prepares for crash landing; the last engine fails.
Plane crashes into the M1 motorway shortly after.
Aftermath of the Crash
Casualties:
47 fatalities (39 killed on impact, 8 died in hospital).
Survivors include Gareth Jones and other passengers who managed to escape.
Many survivors faced serious injuries but were ultimately saved from burning wreckage.
Investigation Findings
Initial suspicion of terrorism was ruled out as no evidence was found.
Mechanical Failure: Investigators discovered fan blade fractures in both engines, causing severe vibration.
Human Error: The flight crew mistakenly shut down the functioning right engine instead of the failing left engine due to misinterpretation of cockpit instruments.
Training Issues: Pilots had no simulator training for the 737-400 series; unfamiliar with new displays contributed to mistakes.
Conclusion
Legacy:
After the crash, changes were implemented in aviation regulations, including mandatory simulator training and cockpit display redesigns.
The crash highlighted the importance of communication between cabin crew and pilots.
Survivors have shared their experiences, emphasizing the psychological impact of the event.
The Boeing 737 remains a popular aircraft, with improved safety records following the incident.