Historic Engine Fire
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Historic Engine Fire
Hi All
I hope this post is in the right place, but I assume it will be moved if not.
About 1986 (I was a kid and might not have got the year right), I was flying from Cape Town to London, I think on SAA and I think on a 747. There was a fire on (again, I think) the number 2 engine, which was extinguished, and after a bit of time we landed back in Cape Town. Another, slightly differently configured aircraft, came down from Jo'Burg to take us to London. I have tried to find information about this and have failed - does anyone either have info, or know where I can look for it?
I hope this post is in the right place, but I assume it will be moved if not.
About 1986 (I was a kid and might not have got the year right), I was flying from Cape Town to London, I think on SAA and I think on a 747. There was a fire on (again, I think) the number 2 engine, which was extinguished, and after a bit of time we landed back in Cape Town. Another, slightly differently configured aircraft, came down from Jo'Burg to take us to London. I have tried to find information about this and have failed - does anyone either have info, or know where I can look for it?
Joined: Jun 2007
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 503
From: Beyond the Blue Horizon
Dariat
By slightly reconfigured do you mean it could be a 747 Combi or maybe SP as it may help narrow things down for those who were flying at the pointy end , in the front seats in identifying your child hood memories.
Cheers
Mr Mac
By slightly reconfigured do you mean it could be a 747 Combi or maybe SP as it may help narrow things down for those who were flying at the pointy end , in the front seats in identifying your child hood memories.
Cheers
Mr Mac
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,156
Likes: 113
From: There and here
When you say fire, do you mean with flames coming out of the No.2 engine or a compressor stall or similar ? I'd imagine with the former it would have been picked up by the newspapers/local tv, whereas the latter might have been reported only within aviation circles. Both serious, but viewed differently by the media.
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 881
Likes: 68
From: UK
Cannot place that one Spring Heeled...
I do recall when standing outside on the Ramp on the LHR November stands at T1 (opposite runway 28R) early one Spring evening in the 1980's when an SAA 747 Super B touched down and a huge ball of flame came out of the front from #2 (I assume a Surge upon selecting Thrust Reverse).
All very dramatic, and the AFS soon came out and escorted the Jumbo to a Stand.
It was also odd for an Evening arrival, as the SAA Jumbo's always came in to LHR from JNB and CPT in the early morning.
(BTW we had a Traffic Officer colleague at BMA LHR whom we nicknamed Springheel Jack)
I do recall when standing outside on the Ramp on the LHR November stands at T1 (opposite runway 28R) early one Spring evening in the 1980's when an SAA 747 Super B touched down and a huge ball of flame came out of the front from #2 (I assume a Surge upon selecting Thrust Reverse).
All very dramatic, and the AFS soon came out and escorted the Jumbo to a Stand.
It was also odd for an Evening arrival, as the SAA Jumbo's always came in to LHR from JNB and CPT in the early morning.
(BTW we had a Traffic Officer colleague at BMA LHR whom we nicknamed Springheel Jack)
Gnome de PPRuNe
Joined: Jan 2002
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
Posts: 15,200
Likes: 1,202
From: Too close to Croydon for comfort
I do recall when standing outside on the Ramp on the LHR November stands at T1 (opposite runway 28R) early one Spring evening in the 1980's when an SAA 747 Super B touched down and a huge ball of flame came out of the front from #2 (I assume a Surge upon selecting Thrust Reverse).
All very dramatic, and the AFS soon came out and escorted the Jumbo to a Stand.
All very dramatic, and the AFS soon came out and escorted the Jumbo to a Stand.
