BA aircraft catches fire in US!
 

I just heard on the radio that a BA aircraft caught fire while being refuled. Passengers were on board but all got off uninjured. One of the ground crew suffered burns but there was no indication of how bad.

Apparently the wings were scorched!

Does anybody else have any further details?

Edited for spelling

[ 06 September 2001: Message edited by: Vortex what? ]

The ground worker has died - no other injuries.

Pretty good initial coverage here:-

Denver BA B777 Fire

correct me, if i'm wrong, but refuelling a plane with passengers on board is against safety rules, isn't it ?

I think it depends on company procedures, at my company fueling while loading pax ok with steps on aft and doors armed but certainly a no-no whilst disembarking.
On BBC teletext it says pax were disembarking.
It's a toughy, the crew have no control of what a fueler does when they just pull on stand and the engineer might not have even reached the a/c at that stage !

It's a regular procedure although pax are advised not to fasten their seatbelts... I strongly disagree with this policy which is to reduce turnaround times.

[ 06 September 2001: Message edited by: xxzz123 ]

Doesn't it have something to do with the type of fuel ? i.e. permissable to refuel with pax on board with JET A1 but not with AVGAS

Engine Failure,

It's not against the rules, although each company will have its laid down procedures for carrying out refuelling with pax on board.

Near Enuff,

Refuelling whilst disembarking is not a 'no-no'. Certainly in BA it is permitted and both flight crew and cabin crew are, according to Flying Crew Orders, to be aware that it may be happening even without having first spoken to the refuellers ie they might be putting on an 'initial' so many tonnes before getting the final figures.

According to the Company, the ignition source is not known but it seems the fuel hose disengaged from the aircraft, spilt a load of fuel on the ground and it is this which caught fire and scorched the aircraft.


Pontius

As per schedules the flight has a turnaround
of two hours. But the flight according to BA FLIFO landed 40 min late at DEN.

Very bad news about the fatality. RIP.

Fuelling with pax on board tends more often than not to be a local airport ruling rather than an airline restriction - although airlines do naturally all have their own rules.

Many airports (e.g. in France) insist on having a fire vehicle standing by during the process.

TA

:(

Apparently the aircraft involved is 777-236 G-VIIK.

The same happened to a Tower Air B-747 Freighter in MIA a few years ago:

The ignition source was the fuel truck, it had a faulty exhaust "shield" if memory serves me right.

The repair bill was around $20 million.

Refuelling with Pax onboard acceptable in north America,provided doors armed,and crew member available,plus a pilot to radio if required.Aircraft well grounded.. :rolleyes:

Hi all

seems that the Aircraft section of the refuelling pipe broke off. This is of a reduced skin thickness at one point to cause minimum damage if the bowser should move while still attached. Under (ab)normal circumstances there is a emergency shut off valve on the fuelling truck which instantly closes off the fuel. It looks like the truck part didnt workcausing fuel to be sprayd around.

That is only a rumour and the rest is just conjecture.
Perhaps the fuel went over the hot part of the engine or the hose hit the ground and caused a spark.

Either way I feel very sad for the familly of the ramp worker and send my condolences.

This could have so easily been me or a colleague as Engineers still refuel in lots of places on the network.

Please forgive my grammar and spelling as it has been a long day.

love

LP

What a nasty way to go!

A needless tragedy!

As already mentioned, condolences to the family.
With regards to disembarking passengers while fuelling, on one of my cabin crew training courses, the point was raised that should the need to evacuate arise, at least the passengers are already heading in the right direction!

BA company procedures allow refuelling with pax onboard (except with wide-cut fuels). However, airport/national regulations take precedence, so that if the airport doesn't permit it, it doesn't happen (in theory).

Very sad to have lost a life, but it could have been much worse.

Not seen any pictures yet but have heard varying stories relating to the amount of damage.

According to JAR-OPS 1.something Refueling with AVGAS is FORBIDDDDDEN. But with JET-A1 it is allowed according to company procedures, which have been approved by the authority and pax NOT boarding or disembarking.

Picture of the damaged 777 and a local report

9news.com

Re the report on the link above...

"The man was using a re-fueling crane about fifty feet above a British Airways jet when the fuel line broke, spraying gas onto a hot engine which caught fire. He was blown off the crane and engulfed in flames."

Can anyone tell me what a "re-fueling crane" is??? If he was at "50 feet", it sounds like the refueller was pumping gas into the top of the fin??? :eek:

Q.