The Unfortunate Incident of British Airways Flight 38: An Analysis

TLDROn January 17, 2008, British Airways Flight 38, a Boeing Triple 7, encountered a catastrophic event during its landing at London Heathrow. The engines failed to respond, leading to a crash landing. This video explores the details of the incident and the pilots' response.

Key insights

🛬British Airways Flight 38 crashed during landing due to engine failure and inability to follow the ILS glideslope.

❄️Extreme cold temperatures and suspended water in the fuel tanks caused ice crystals to form, leading to engine malfunction.

✈️The pilots were not trained for this specific scenario and performed their best to rectify the situation.

🌡️The fuel temperature warning system alerted the crew to the low fuel temperature, indicating potential fuel freezing.

🛠️The Boeing Triple 7 is equipped with hydraulic heat exchangers to continuously heat the fuel, preventing freezing and water accumulation.

Q&A

What caused the crash of British Airways Flight 38?

The crash was caused by engine failure and the inability to follow the ILS glideslope due to loss of thrust.

Why did the engines stop responding?

The engines stopped responding due to extreme cold temperatures and the formation of ice crystals, causing fuel flow obstruction.

Were the pilots trained for this situation?

No, the pilots were not specifically trained for this scenario but did their best to rectify the situation.

What measures are in place to prevent fuel freezing?

The Boeing Triple 7 is equipped with hydraulic heat exchangers that continuously heat the fuel, preventing freezing and water accumulation.

How many passengers and crew were on board?

The aircraft carried 136 passengers and had a crew of 3 pilots and 13 cabin crew members.

Timestamped Summary

00:00Introduction to the unfortunate incident of British Airways Flight 38 and the crash landing at London Heathrow.

05:00Discussion on the temperatures and fuel freezing issues associated with the flight.

10:00Explanation of ice crystals formation and their impact on engine performance.

15:00Analysis of the pilots' response to the unexpected situation and their attempts to rectify it.

20:00Overview of the fuel temperature warning system and its role in indicating potential fuel freezing.