Brand new Etihad A340-600 damaged in Toulouse; several wounded

[keskildi]

An Airbus A340-600, ready for delivery, ''escaped'' during a ground test and crashed in a wall alongside the engine test area in Toulouse today

the aircraft involved is (F-WWCJ c/n856) third A346 HGW version for Etihad Airways

it would ... be registered A6-EHG (?) Seen here performing a go-around at the end of its first flight...

no link in english right now I'm afraid

[keskildi]

in english...



http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i...U31BAD8SU8OU80

[bjones4]

From Airbus,

INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT AT AIRBUS FACILITY

AIRBUS press release #1

Issued at 15 November 2007, 20:15

Accident at Saint-Martin Airbus site

Toulouse: Airbus deeply regrets to confirm that an accident occurred at its Saint-Martin site in Toulouse this afternoon.

The accident occurred at 5:00 pm local time, when engine-run-ups were being carried out on an A340-600, MSN 856, which was due to be delivered to Etihad in the coming days.

There were nine persons on board out of them five people sustained injuries. There are no fatalities.

At this time, recovery operations are still in progress and Airbus staff is working closely with the emergency services and local authorities at the site.
Airbus expresses its sympathy to the families and friends of the persons concerned.

Airbus will provide the full support to the official investigation authorities in France.

[aerotransport.org]

Picture:

/ATDB

[Palyvestre]

It's three wounded !

A short video coming from the french television evening news. They said it's probably a w/o

http://www.crash-aerien.com/forum/vi...?p=22354#22354

[Airbubba]

Another pre-delivery mishap in Toulouse. I remember sitting in a CDG bar in the summer of 1994 and hearing of the A-330 crash...

[aerotransport.org]

not just the flight deck on the other side..

/A

[Broomstick Flier]

When you think you have already seen everything in life...
Oh boy.. this is weird.

Fortunately no fatalities..

I always thought engine runs were performed with the aircraft firmly chained down to concrete blocks, not only chocks.

BF


PS. On side note, please note the engines worked as advertised

[bjones4]

PS. On side note, please note the engines worked as advertised

There are reports elsewhere from some Toulouse locals that one of them was still running tonight due to 'technical difficulties' in shutting it down.

[Jando]

Reuters now reporting 10 people injured, three of them seriously.
Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/world...88716920071115

[Terry McCassey]

No Broomstick they are not chained down, neither do the chocks touch the wheels. Parking brake only is all that stops them !

[mackey]

Someone will be in for tea and biccies!!
Wouldn't want to be filling out that insurance form or paying the excess!!,
Glad no-one was killed in what was a very nasty accident.
I take it Etihad don't want it now!

M.

[Rainboe]

Can't you just feel the feeling as it jumped the chocks/brakes and raced away? An awful sight to see a spanking new machine in that state. Considering the state of the nose section, the injuries must have been serious- I hope they all make it.
Even I can't quite see this one being repaired! That is one seriously stressed fuselage, going through a concrete wall like that, and ending up in that state.

[Fargoo]

Don't know about the 340 but on the small bus we are obliged to hold the aircraft on the brakes during high powered runs and to have the park brake selected off.
My thoughts are with those injured

[TURIN]

No Broomstick they are not chained down, neither do the chocks touch the wheels. Parking brake only is all that stops them !

IF the 340 is the same as other Airbus' from what I remember the park brake is a lower pressure than the foot brakes. When carrying out high power engine runs one person has to stand on the pegs for the duration.
"There for the grace of......"





Edited to say.. Must type faster, you beat me to it Fargoo.

[RogerTangoFoxtrotIndigo]

Even I can't quite see this one being repaired! That is one seriously stressed fuselage, going through a concrete wall like that, and ending up in that state.

If it had gone straight into the wall then I would have agreed but it seems to have ridden up the ramp and over the wall but I'm not a structural engineer. I am however a trained bean counter and would take a bit of convincing that $135m+ of damage has been done here assuming a sale price of $180m.

Putting that aside it must have been a scary moment for all those on board or in the general area, I hope they all make a full and speedy recovery.

[HS125]

Dont forget that airbus will value the aircraft at cost so there needs to be less dammage for it to be considered a write off;

Its not just the value of the damage, there are liability issues that will be taken into account, I'd say that would most definitely rank as 'severe damage' Remember what happend to Japan Airlines who were flying a repaired 747?

Plus I'd have to ask the question who would want to buy an A340 with that kind of history, especially one that hasnt even been delivered yet. Looking at the pics I can't see that one flying again.

I'd also wager that Ethiad will have something pretty unsympathetic to say about this given that the bent aircraft has their name all over it!

[Loose rivets]

Yeh, the last thing you need is an unlucky aircraft.



I remember looking at an ATR down at the factory. It was just ready for delivery and got seriously twisted after a heavy landing. I just would not have wanted it after that.

I would imagine their insurers are beginning to look askance at their practices. Having said this, I don't know just how much whoomf they were giving it, but it must have been a serious amount to lose control like that.

Does anyone know how many engines were opened up at one time?

In any event, I feel that any such power run should be done in wide open spaces. Edit to say that I realize that it was a test area, but nevertheless I wouldn't like to be in charge of something like that on full chat in a confined space.

[lamer]

"der spiegel" says that 7 out of 9 onboard were etihad employees.

[two green one prayer]

When doing something like this why not point the aeroplane at somewhere that there is no scenery to collide with? This would allow time to close the throttles.