A British Airways flight was just seconds from disaster after stalling over London, according to reports. The Airbus A320, operating as Flight BA919 from Dusseldorf, experienced an air data systems failure on approach to London Heathrow on July 6, causing the aircraft to stall at 4,000 feet above Canary Wharf.
Critical failure and recovery
The first officer attempted to fix the problem but failed, requiring the captain to physically intervene. A source told The Sun that recovering from such a position is difficult, especially at low altitude. 'It is unheard of for a captain to physically intervene in the cockpit,' the source added. The incident has been described as the most serious near miss in the UK in years.
Potential hull loss
Senior figures claimed the plane almost suffered a hull loss, an aviation term for when an aircraft is seriously damaged or destroyed. The captain is now on stress leave. The incident has been reported as a loss of control in-flight and branded as pilot induced.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has launched a probe into the serious incident. British Airways, which operates about 19 direct flights per week between Dusseldorf and Heathrow, said it is assisting the investigation. The Civil Aviation Authority declined to comment on the ongoing review.
