BA038 (B777) Thread

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because the water in the center-section tank had been frozen (beijing overnight temps being below 7 degrees Celsius), therefore not able to be sumped (i.e. drained) and accumulating over a lengthy period.

The temperature in Beijing was -7 deg. Celcius according to AAIB Bulletin S1/2008, page 3. I assume the poster intended to mention it as -7 deg. C.

On page 5 of the same bulletin the AAIB states:

"The aircraft's fuel tanks were last checked for water in the fuel on the 15 january 2008 at Heathrow; this was prior to its refuelling for the outboard sector to Beijing."

For the record i just checked: temperatures at Heathrow on 15 january were between +6 and +11 degrees Celcius, depending on the time of day. Warm enough to drain water. For sure if the airplane had been at Heathrow for a considerable time. I don't know the aircraft's flight history prior to the outbound sector to Beijing so alot depends on the aircraft's turnaround time between flights. But if it had an overnight stay, temperatures were well above freezing at Heathrow the day before (the whole week before, for that matter). Any water drained in such conditions is all the water accumulated in the tanks prior to refuelling.

Fuel samples taken from the aircraft after the crash have sofar ruled out contamination or unusual levels of water content, neither did sump samples taken from the main wing tanks reveal "significant quantities of water" according to AAIB Bulletin S1/2008, page 4.

Apparently water did not accumulate over a lengthy period.

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