Not sure if this was posted before. For educational and research purposes only.

Mar 1, 2000 - 10:19 PM

Mechanical Problem, Not Turbulence Caused Sudden Climb in Plane The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) - The sudden, steep climb of a British Airways jet on its descent into Kennedy Airport over the weekend was due to a mechanical malfunction and not turbulence, federal authorities said Wednesday.

Flight 179 from London was descending from 35,000 feet about 100 miles south of Boston when the aircraft's nose turned abruptly skyward and began to climb, throwing passengers about the cabin.

Eleven were injured, including one with a broken leg.

Initially, investigators said the flight encountered turbulence but now say a review of the air traffic control tapes of conversations among the crew indicate no such problem.

"At this point we are looking at maintenance records including the electrical system," said Luke Schiada of the National Transportation Safety Board.

AP-ES-03-01-00 2218EST

PS - Diane, are you sure you want to leave on a jet plane? :-(

-- PA Engineer (PA Engineer@longtimelurker.com), March 02, 2000

Answers

Sounds like the same incident discussed previously on this thread

-- Mikey2k (mikey2k@he.wont.eat.it), March 02, 2000.

Right. Now they're ascribing a cause .....

-- Squirrel Hunter (nuts@upina.cellrelaytower), March 02, 2000.

From the preliminary FAA incident report:

"BRITISH AIRWAYS ACFT WAS ON DESCENT INTO JFK ARPT 100 MILES SOUTH OF BOSTON, MA, WHEN IT EXPERIENCED AN UNCOMMANDED AUTOPILOT CLIMB"

Not sure what an UNCOMMANDED AUTOPILOT CLIMB is, but sure doesn't sound like a description of a "mechanical" problem.

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), March 02, 2000.