Excel B767 and bmibaby B737 collision at Manchester
Join Date: Apr 2000
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Been flicking through all the 24 hour news channels over the last hour or so.
From the lack of even a mention of any "near disaster" at MAN, I assumed straight away that it was yet another "breaking news" story with no real substance at all, but would fill out that boring part of the afternoon when very little seems to happen, apart from "Glaswegian granny spills cup of hot tea" or "tigger the overweight tabby finally passes away at the age of 12".
What gets up my nose about the whole sensationalism is that what if you were a relative of some passenger, driving back home after dropping them off for their long awaited holiday to GOA, then heard a "newsflash" on the car radio saying that "2 holiday jats have crashed at manchester airport". These numbskull journos are gonna give some poor beggar a coronary one day. I can see the headlines now:
"man suffers fatal crash into tree at 60 mph whilst in shock over sensationalist, inaccurate, inarticulate news report.
From the lack of even a mention of any "near disaster" at MAN, I assumed straight away that it was yet another "breaking news" story with no real substance at all, but would fill out that boring part of the afternoon when very little seems to happen, apart from "Glaswegian granny spills cup of hot tea" or "tigger the overweight tabby finally passes away at the age of 12".
What gets up my nose about the whole sensationalism is that what if you were a relative of some passenger, driving back home after dropping them off for their long awaited holiday to GOA, then heard a "newsflash" on the car radio saying that "2 holiday jats have crashed at manchester airport". These numbskull journos are gonna give some poor beggar a coronary one day. I can see the headlines now:
"man suffers fatal crash into tree at 60 mph whilst in shock over sensationalist, inaccurate, inarticulate news report.
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my biggest fear and nightmare and so bloody easy to happen......couldnt give a crap about 35kt crosswinds but the easiest thing in the world is to clip an object in a tight space taxying.......even on a pushback when one confirms the ramp is clear and the ground crew push you into something....who's ass is hung out to dry?....the Captain and nailed to boot.
i feel so sorry for all involved......the Bear
i feel so sorry for all involved......the Bear
Helicopter Pilots Get It Up Quicker
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Surprisingly, it's not necessarily spotters who call up. It could be anyone, from airport staff, police/fire/ambulance people who usually have good contacts with the press
Emergency services' managers will/do spend an incredible amount of time looking for evidence to stitch up their staff.
Oh yes I do have one press contact - but she works for a weekly free paper! Not sure that there are many of us that have a hotline to The Sun...
PW
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Hey guys
I was actually on the bmi Baby flight to Belfast. We were just sitting waiting to depart, when the Excel airways flight just came along and shunted us forward. Was huge shock, didnt know what was going on at first.
Pilot came on told us there was no need to be alarmed and that he was shutting the engines down. 20mins later we were told to get off the plane few at at a time. This was because the plane has pushed forward quite a bit, the front wheel was damaged and therefore it had a risk of collapsing. We got off the plane into field and the coaches met us. it was a while before the excel passengers were picked up.
the irish blokes on the flight said that the back of the plane was lifted up for a bit, dunno as i was at the front.
was all a bit mental.. but the bmi staff were very helpful
an experience not to be forgotten in a hurry!!!
I was actually on the bmi Baby flight to Belfast. We were just sitting waiting to depart, when the Excel airways flight just came along and shunted us forward. Was huge shock, didnt know what was going on at first.
Pilot came on told us there was no need to be alarmed and that he was shutting the engines down. 20mins later we were told to get off the plane few at at a time. This was because the plane has pushed forward quite a bit, the front wheel was damaged and therefore it had a risk of collapsing. We got off the plane into field and the coaches met us. it was a while before the excel passengers were picked up.
the irish blokes on the flight said that the back of the plane was lifted up for a bit, dunno as i was at the front.
was all a bit mental.. but the bmi staff were very helpful
an experience not to be forgotten in a hurry!!!
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From the Airport's website:
Latest Information On The Excel Airways/bmi Incident
Time of issue
5.30pm
Date of incident
Thursday 4th October 2004
Airlines
Excel Airways and bmibaby
Flight Numbers
Excel – XLA340 Boeing 767 from Manchester to Goa
Bmibaby - WW3007 Boeing 737 from Manchester to Belfast International
Flight Types
Scheduled (bmi) and charter (Excel Airways)
Departure/Arrival times
The scheduled time of departure for the bmi flight was 16.15.
The scheduled time of departure for the Excel Airways flight was 15.30. The Excel Airways flight arrived at Manchester from Gatwick at 14.45 with passengers who were flying from Gatwick to Goa.
Number of People on Board
On the bmibaby Boeing 737 there were 79 people on board - 74 passengers and 5 crew. The Excel Airways had 255 passengers on board.
The passengers have been taken off both aircraft.
Nature of Incident
At 16.27 the tail of the bmibaby Boeing 737 and the wing of the Excel Airways 767 came into contact while both aircraft were on the ground. Both aircraft were preparing to depart.
Latest Update
We are not aware of any casualties.
An Air Accident Investigation Branch team is at the scene.
There is no disruption to other services.
Press Enquiries:
bmi – Mike Pooley - 01332 854 687
Sue Lister, PR Consultant, Excel Airways – 01883 624015 and 07850 852357 (mobile)
Manchester Airport Press Office – 0161 489 2700, 0161 489 3446, 0161 489 2727
11/4/2004
Latest Information On The Excel Airways/bmi Incident
Time of issue
5.30pm
Date of incident
Thursday 4th October 2004
Airlines
Excel Airways and bmibaby
Flight Numbers
Excel – XLA340 Boeing 767 from Manchester to Goa
Bmibaby - WW3007 Boeing 737 from Manchester to Belfast International
Flight Types
Scheduled (bmi) and charter (Excel Airways)
Departure/Arrival times
The scheduled time of departure for the bmi flight was 16.15.
The scheduled time of departure for the Excel Airways flight was 15.30. The Excel Airways flight arrived at Manchester from Gatwick at 14.45 with passengers who were flying from Gatwick to Goa.
Number of People on Board
On the bmibaby Boeing 737 there were 79 people on board - 74 passengers and 5 crew. The Excel Airways had 255 passengers on board.
The passengers have been taken off both aircraft.
Nature of Incident
At 16.27 the tail of the bmibaby Boeing 737 and the wing of the Excel Airways 767 came into contact while both aircraft were on the ground. Both aircraft were preparing to depart.
Latest Update
We are not aware of any casualties.
An Air Accident Investigation Branch team is at the scene.
There is no disruption to other services.
Press Enquiries:
bmi – Mike Pooley - 01332 854 687
Sue Lister, PR Consultant, Excel Airways – 01883 624015 and 07850 852357 (mobile)
Manchester Airport Press Office – 0161 489 2700, 0161 489 3446, 0161 489 2727
11/4/2004
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I've just had a look at it from the pax window on the oslo-man flight. It looks like the left wing of the excel has clipped the tail of the bmi. The planes seem to be at 90 deg to eachother with the bmi some distance from the excel. The floodlights were on and people were crawling about both planes. It seems a strange incident.
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Well as one of the 'ambulance people' I not sure I d risk my job to call the press... the services I ve worked for expressly forbid speaking with the press.
Also, when dealing with major incidents a lot of the emergency services put the details on their 'press' answerphone service for the media to get information.
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The post complains about journalistic sensationalism and rightly so but every time an "incident" such as this occurs there is a mad scramble to post every bit of information immediately - regardless of whether it is accurate or not.
The post started by someone saying his wife had just phoned him and did anyone have any details - why was it that important.
The full and correct story comes out in the fullness of time - can't he wait.
This site is accessed by a lot of people who only have a fringe interest in aviation (including journalistics) so please stop scrambling for tit bits and therefore stop feeding the journos.
Keep the responses serious with factual information.
The post started by someone saying his wife had just phoned him and did anyone have any details - why was it that important.
The full and correct story comes out in the fullness of time - can't he wait.
This site is accessed by a lot of people who only have a fringe interest in aviation (including journalistics) so please stop scrambling for tit bits and therefore stop feeding the journos.
Keep the responses serious with factual information.
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Sadly the aviation industry is not being singled out in this case... tasteless as it is nevertheless.
Just take time to listen to the news on the radio or tv and see how they sensationalise and speculate on outcomes. TV and radio are just as bad as each other and no better than newspapers in this regard. They all ask the question of their "man at the scene" (maybe "person" is a better term?).. "So tell us.. all this media attention must be exacerbating the speculation even more. How is this being handled?"
They try to hide behind responsibility and then continue for the next 20 mins speculating and throwing around rumours?
Good example.. Arafat. Is he dead or isn't he? They spend hours talking about it.... based on rumour and guesswork. Not fact... but then the facts are often boring aren't they and hardly to be considered "news"...
maybe I'm just cynical
Just take time to listen to the news on the radio or tv and see how they sensationalise and speculate on outcomes. TV and radio are just as bad as each other and no better than newspapers in this regard. They all ask the question of their "man at the scene" (maybe "person" is a better term?).. "So tell us.. all this media attention must be exacerbating the speculation even more. How is this being handled?"
They try to hide behind responsibility and then continue for the next 20 mins speculating and throwing around rumours?
Good example.. Arafat. Is he dead or isn't he? They spend hours talking about it.... based on rumour and guesswork. Not fact... but then the facts are often boring aren't they and hardly to be considered "news"...
maybe I'm just cynical
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Why oh why does this need to descend into a thread on journalists and who may or may not have reported the incident to them? Can we please stick to the facts of the incident instead of the same old arguments? We have a job to do, and so do they just accept it. Admittedly the do go over the top sometimes (not always) but that is the nature of the beast. Imagine the headline..... TWO AIRCRAFT COLLIDE A LOW SPEED, NO INJURIES AT ALL. Do you think people would be interested? We as aviation professionals and enthusiasts would be, but not your average Star or People reader. Their job to sell papers and that is how the go about doing that!
As for it being a crash, if you stick to the Oxford English Dictionary definition, it was a crash. Cars crash on the ground why can't aeroplanes?
As for it being a crash, if you stick to the Oxford English Dictionary definition, it was a crash. Cars crash on the ground why can't aeroplanes?
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According the the Daily Mirror,
"We had been taxiing around for ages before we finally got on to the runway and began to accelerate to take-off speed.
"About half way down the runway we smashed into the other plane."
Paul Murray, on board the 737, told how their aircraft was hit from behind as it waited for clearance to take off
Now I am no expert in any way but even I can work out that if this had of happened there would have been far more damage and many people seriously injured.
If the event is as previous posts implied then this is a disgraceful piece of reporting.
"We had been taxiing around for ages before we finally got on to the runway and began to accelerate to take-off speed.
"About half way down the runway we smashed into the other plane."
Paul Murray, on board the 737, told how their aircraft was hit from behind as it waited for clearance to take off
Now I am no expert in any way but even I can work out that if this had of happened there would have been far more damage and many people seriously injured.
If the event is as previous posts implied then this is a disgraceful piece of reporting.
Controversial, moi?
I couldn't make a link work so from the the mirror.co.uk website:
TERROR AS JETS CLIP WINGS AT TAKE OFF Nov 5 2004
Passengers in runway drama
By Paul Gallagher And Patrick Mulchrone
A PASSENGER jet smashed into another plane yesterday as it was taking off.
The packed Boeing 767 was accelerating to take-off speed when its wing hit the tail of a waiting BMI Baby Boeing 737.
No one was seriously hurt but the 737 was badly damaged in the incident at Manchester Airport.
Passenger Steve Harris - among 255 on the Excel Airways 767 bound for Goa, India - said last night: "People were screaming. It was terrifying for a while.
"It felt like we were going down a giant pothole. The plane was skidding from side to side and everybody lurched forward.
"It was as if someone had picked up the plane and was shaking it around."
The 767 and the smaller Belfast-found 737, with 79 on board, were kept on the runway for hours as fire crews ensured they were safe. Both aircraft were later evacuated.
The planes crashed at 4.27pm on the airport's Terminal Two runway.
Comedian Steve, 37, of Warrington, Cheshire, said: "We were already delayed by an hour-and-a-half, so people were getting impatient.
"We had been taxiing around for ages before we finally got on to the runway and began to accelerate to take-off speed.
"About half way down the runway we smashed into the other plane."
Steve, heading for a two-week break in Goa, said people calmed down once the plane came to a stop.
He said: "Nobody seemed to be injured and we were laughing and joking about it afterwards. But that's only because we all thought the worst when the planes collided."
Paul Murray, on board the 737, told how their aircraft was hit from behind as it waited for clearance to take off.
Paul, 37, of Belfast, added: "Our tail might have been overhanging the runway when it was struck by the other aircraft.
"There was an almighty jolt and people were frightened.
"We were kept on board for about 15 minutes before being taken off. A bus took us into the terminal.
"People have been checked for injuries but there doesn't seem to be anything worse than sore necks."
The BMI passengers were put on a later flight to Belfast while the Excel passengers stayed overnight in hotels.
An airport spokeswoman said: "The tail of the BMI Baby 737 and the wing of the Excel Airways 767 came into contact while both were on the ground. All passengers were safely evacuated. No one had to use emergency chutes."
In August 1985, 55 passengers died when a British Airtours Boeing 737 with 137 aboard burst into flames during a failed takeoff from Manchester.
TERROR AS JETS CLIP WINGS AT TAKE OFF Nov 5 2004
Passengers in runway drama
By Paul Gallagher And Patrick Mulchrone
A PASSENGER jet smashed into another plane yesterday as it was taking off.
The packed Boeing 767 was accelerating to take-off speed when its wing hit the tail of a waiting BMI Baby Boeing 737.
No one was seriously hurt but the 737 was badly damaged in the incident at Manchester Airport.
Passenger Steve Harris - among 255 on the Excel Airways 767 bound for Goa, India - said last night: "People were screaming. It was terrifying for a while.
"It felt like we were going down a giant pothole. The plane was skidding from side to side and everybody lurched forward.
"It was as if someone had picked up the plane and was shaking it around."
The 767 and the smaller Belfast-found 737, with 79 on board, were kept on the runway for hours as fire crews ensured they were safe. Both aircraft were later evacuated.
The planes crashed at 4.27pm on the airport's Terminal Two runway.
Comedian Steve, 37, of Warrington, Cheshire, said: "We were already delayed by an hour-and-a-half, so people were getting impatient.
"We had been taxiing around for ages before we finally got on to the runway and began to accelerate to take-off speed.
"About half way down the runway we smashed into the other plane."
Steve, heading for a two-week break in Goa, said people calmed down once the plane came to a stop.
He said: "Nobody seemed to be injured and we were laughing and joking about it afterwards. But that's only because we all thought the worst when the planes collided."
Paul Murray, on board the 737, told how their aircraft was hit from behind as it waited for clearance to take off.
Paul, 37, of Belfast, added: "Our tail might have been overhanging the runway when it was struck by the other aircraft.
"There was an almighty jolt and people were frightened.
"We were kept on board for about 15 minutes before being taken off. A bus took us into the terminal.
"People have been checked for injuries but there doesn't seem to be anything worse than sore necks."
The BMI passengers were put on a later flight to Belfast while the Excel passengers stayed overnight in hotels.
An airport spokeswoman said: "The tail of the BMI Baby 737 and the wing of the Excel Airways 767 came into contact while both were on the ground. All passengers were safely evacuated. No one had to use emergency chutes."
In August 1985, 55 passengers died when a British Airtours Boeing 737 with 137 aboard burst into flames during a failed takeoff from Manchester.
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I can't believe the b*******t coming from not only the press, but some passengers, it would appear! They make it sound like the XLA 762 struck the WW 733 on its take-off roll. I think they'd have known about it if it had, but probably not for long....
I guess we'll have to wait and see what the conclusions of the investigation are. The 733 , G-ODSK, ain't in good shape though...
I guess we'll have to wait and see what the conclusions of the investigation are. The 733 , G-ODSK, ain't in good shape though...
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At this risk of spoiling things for everyone, has anyone actually got any FACTS on this incident, such as:[list=a][*]Was the 767 really on its take-off run when the collision occured?[*]Why did the 737 have its tail adjacent to the runway if it was waiting for departure? (but thank goodness it was not the other way round...)[/list=a]
Both if these, if true, would appear to make this rather an unusual event and therefore, dare I suggest, more newsworthy than if the collision had occured during the course of normal taxying.
Both if these, if true, would appear to make this rather an unusual event and therefore, dare I suggest, more newsworthy than if the collision had occured during the course of normal taxying.
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Just been sent some pics...the 737 damage suggests the 767 was going at a fair speed at the time of collision
767 wing
737 tail
737 nose wheel
767 wing
737 tail
737 nose wheel