Capitaine Vengeur 263 Posted December 15, 2009 A friend has just send me this news and pictures. The plane is the latest generation Airbus A340-600, worth USD 200,000,000. She was to be delivered to Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.) and had never flown before her fatal accident on runway at Toulouse-Blagnac, France (Airbus headquarters).The plane was manned by an ADAT (Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies) crew for engines tests on the ground. They first rolled on the taxiway at full take-off thrust with a plane as light as possible. The plane's calculators thought the plane was about to take-off in a bad configuration (flaps up, etc), so the take-off warnings began to yell. The noise probably bored one of the crewmen, so he switched off the Ground Proximity Sensor to have the warnings shut up. The plane's calculators then thought that the plane was in the air, and released the wheel brakes (an automatic security to avoid inadvertently landings with blocked brakes). None of the panicked crewmen thought to reduce the engines' thrust. The result can be seen here. This event's date is not given. My friend's post says that there has been a black-out in media to avoid humiliation to the wealthy and powerful Emirates, but that some pictures begin to circulate on the Net. Nothing is known about the crew's fate. The post says that these guys are paid USD 300,000 a year (which is much, much more than the average US pilot, considering the latest movie from Michael Moore). Their main qualification was probably to be the nephews of some important boss or sandbox prince, as it often seems to happen in such desert principalities. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FastCargo 412 Posted December 15, 2009 This is fairly old news...this accident happened on November 15, 2007. There was no 'news blackout'. Here's the full report (in French): http://www.bea.aero/docspa/2007/f-cj071115/pdf/f-cj071115.pdf And here, translated into English: http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/300539-brand-new-etihad-a340-600-damaged-toulouse-several-wounded-26.html#post4705627 In particular: Findings of investigation• The aircraft, including its braking system, operated in accordance with its specifications • The accident occurred in the delivery phase of a unprogrammed test • The procedure was not in conformity with the task “Fuel and Oil Leak Test” listed in the AMM. In particular, it was carried out at high thrust on all engines without the use of wheel chocks • Testimonies and video recordings indicate that engine tests are regularly carried out without wheel chocks • The thrust used on the engines was at the same level as the nominal braking capacity of the parking brake • When the aircraft began to move, the ground testing technician pushed on the brake pedals and released the parking brake • The ground testing technician turned the NWS to the right. This action, by inhibiting the CLG braking, limited the braking effectiveness • The actions on the brake pedals were not sustained to the maximum level • The flight testing engineer retarded the thrust levers when the plane hit the anti-blast wall 3.2 Causes of the accident The accident is due to the run up on all 4 engines at the same time, without wheel chocks, and during which the total engine thrust was close to the parking brake capacity. The lack of a detection process and deviation correction in the ground test procedure, in a context of industrial and commercial pressure, promoted the operation of a test outside of the established procedures. The sudden onset of aircraft movement led the ground testing technician to focus on the braking system; therefore he did not think to reduce the thrust of the engines. There were 9 personnel on board, 5 were injured, none with life threatening injuries. Of the 3 in the cockpit seats, 2 of them (F/O and Observer seats) were employees of Airbus, not of the MX company. FC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Dave 2,318 Posted December 15, 2009 Ok didnt another Arab country have a 747 do the same thing a few years ago? What is with those guys? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capitaine Vengeur 263 Posted December 15, 2009 This is fairly old news...this accident happened on November 15, 2007. There was no 'news blackout'. Here's the full report (in French): http://www.bea.aero/.../f-cj071115.pdf And here, translated into English: http://www.pprune.or...tml#post4705627 In particular: There were 9 personnel on board, 5 were injured, none with life threatening injuries. Of the 3 in the cockpit seats, 2 of them (F/O and Observer seats) were employees of Airbus, not of the MX company. FC Well well, so... Well-informed investigator:1 / Half-drunken dilettante urban legend propagator: 0. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Silverbolt 104 Posted December 15, 2009 Ok didnt another Arab country have a 747 do the same thing a few years ago? What is with those guys? well, i have an old chilhood friend who worked at dubai international airport till some months ago...he told me one thing that shocked me... he said those dudes have no sense of risponsibility.... he said he saw IIRC an Emirate's A-330 entering with one wing in the the doorless side of the hangar hangar IIRC the pilots caused some millions in damage and no punishment....they keep flying for the company. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaverickMike 10 Posted December 15, 2009 Wow judging by the state of the cockpit the crew were lucky to get out alive. Anyone else notice the two guys with santa outfits on in the first pic? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
