Thu, Jan 17, 2008
Passengers Evacuated; Minor Injuries Reported
Thankfully, only minor injuries are reported following a Friday
morning accident at London Heathrow Airport, involving a Boeing 777
that landed short of the airport's south runway.
BBC news reports the British Airways airliner touched down
several hundred meters short of the runway. At least one of the
aircraft's main landing gear legs were shorn off, and the
airliner's port wing and engine nacelle were severely damaged.
Citing an unidentified airport worker, BBC reports the pilot
told authorities the aircraft's electronics failed. It is unclear
what the nature of that failure was, or what role it may have
played in the accident.
All 136 passengers and 16 crewmembers onboard Flight 38, inbound
from Beijing, were hurriedly evacuated from the stricken airliner.
At least 17 people were transported to area hospitals with minor
injuries.
One passenger onboard the flight, Paul Venter, told UK Press
Association the plane's flight crew struggled to bring the aircraft
safely over surrounding homes.
"The wheels came out and went for touchdown, and the next moment
we just dropped. I couldn't tell you how far," he said.
Neil Jones witnessed the scene from the ground, and said the 777
made a "very, very unusual approach" to the airport. He added the
aircraft's engines were louder than is usually the case while on
approach to land.
"You could see the pilot was desperate, trying to get the plane
down," Jones told PA. "The aircraft hit the grass and there was a
lot of dirt. The pilot was struggling to keep the plane straight. I
think he did a great job."
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