What Happens To Aircraft Wreckage Once A Crash Investigation Is Complete?
 

Hi there

I was just watching Aircrash Investigation (Partnair Flight 394).

After they completed their investigation they just cleared out of the building but what happened to the wreckage after that?

Does it just stay there or is it disposed of somehow?

With all respect due to those who died in the crash of course.

Rest In Peace.

Once it is absolutely over and there is absolutely no more need for them to retain the wreckage?

Lets just say "Beanz meanz Heinz"....

The remains of the Lockerbie 747 are at a scrap yard in woodhall spa, lincolnshire. The engines from the BA 777 are down at Kemble.

Thanks lots for your replies, what will they do with the 777's engines?


Are they serviceable or did the impact in the crash damage them permanently?

Parts from them would be useful tho or even better use them to train Accident Investigators might be more valuable.

Methinks they've already thought of that..

The reason the 777 engines are at Kemble is simply because that's where the aircraft was sent for scrapping. If ASI could find a buyer for two slightly bent Trents, I'm sure they would sell them.

AFAIK the Lockerbie 747, on the other hand, can't be scrapped as it's technically still evidence in an open crime investigation.

Wreckage of some historic aircraft may be retained by the owners or acquired by others and, after a decent interval, rebuilt to fly.

I can think of at least four Spitfires involved in fatal acccidents, one of which has been airworthy again for some time and the other three are well on their way - and a further two which are I think are stored.

Mustangs are another hardy breed, and often reappear given plenty of time, expertise and money. I saw a US registered Mustang visiting the UK in 1977 which has subsequently been involved in three major accidents, two of them fatal, and I think I read recently that it is once again in the jigs somewhere in Europe.

Last time I visited the AAIB hangar at Farnborough, there was a pile of wreckage in a compound across the road from completed investigations. I presume when the pile gets too big, AAIB get a scrap dealer in to remove it.

The remains of the Lockerbie 747 are at a scrap yard in woodhall spa, lincolnshire.

That would be Windleys Scrapyard, Tattershall.
Yeah the Scrap Dealer Mr Windley was prosecuted about a decade ago for selling souvenirs from it. I think he sold one of the toilet pans to a newspaper reporter :mad:

That would be nice on your mantlepiece huh :yuk:

GREEDY GHOUL OF LOCKERBIE - Other - Archive - People.co.uk

I'd imagine that aircraft are no different to cars in that economics determines their fate.
You'll get the proper write offs which are in bits and only fit for scrapping, then the insurance write offs which will be snapped up by those with the funds to rebuild them. Historics will be in this category.
I had a tour of the hangar in about '96. The relevant section of the Lockerbie jet was still there.



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Interesting (and morbid) follow-up to the Lockerbie bit of this thread
 

On today's BBC BBC News - Lockerbie wreckage parts returned to Scotland

Obviously the bits of the plane relevant to the explosion were at Farnborough, whilst the rest is in Lincolnshire. Don't think I'd want it on my land, never mind the money!