BA jet ‘seconds from catastrophe’ over UK metropolis in ‘largest close to miss in years’
Sources branded the serious incident one of the ‘most serious near misses in the UK in years’ after the captain was forced to intervene and help keep the plane flying
The ‘near miss’ happened earlier this month (stock)(Image: Getty)
A British Airways plane was mere “seconds from disaster” when it stalled following a pilot blunder above London, it has been reported.
The first officer’s mistake required an urgent physical intervention from the captain as the Airbus A320 made its approach to Heathrow on July 6. Sources told The Sun it was “the most serious ‘near miss’ in the UK in years”. Flight BA919 was flying from Dusseldorf and was around 4,000ft above Canary Wharf when the drama started.
According to the Sun, one of the aircraft’s data systems failed, meaning the jet suffered a “stall”. The captain then had to step in to override the pilot’s initial attempt to try and solve the issue.
The incident happened over London’s financial district (stock)(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The source added: “To recover from this position is difficult, especially so low to the ground. It is unheard of for a captain to physically intervene in the cockpit.”
The incident was reported as “Loss of Control In-flight” and branded as “Pilot Induced”, while the Air Accidents Investigation Branch launched a probe into the “serious incident”.
BA has said it was assisting the investigation.
Earlier this month, a BA flight was thrown into disarray after all three pilots were simultaneously struck down by food poisoning.
BA is investigating the incident (stock)(Image: Ceri Breeze via Getty Images)
The incident unfolded on a 10-and-a-half-hour flight from Hyderabad, India to London Heathrow, when one of the first officers fell seriously ill while the plane was cruising at approximately 30,000 feet.
The pilot was reportedly left “incapacitated” and needed oxygen after becoming unwell mid-flight. Despite also experiencing symptoms, the aircraft’s two other pilots managed to safely operate the Boeing 777 until it touched down at Heathrow.
However, their condition allegedly deteriorated upon arrival in the UK, leading all three crew members to seek medical help. British Airways has emphasised that flight safety was never jeopardised, but the incident has sparked an immediate internal investigation, reports the Express .
