Unlocking Catastrophe | British Airways Flight 762

[@ewilloch]

With full appreciation of the high quality level of Allec‘s videos, The root causes for this incident were more complex than described in the video, making it more understandable how it could happen. The technicians mixed up the A319 with an A321 the night before. They left the A319 with the cowlings unlatched because they hadn’t yet finished their work. To change or replenish oil, a pump was required. Returning with the pump 3 hours later, the A319 had been repositioned, and an A321 was in the A319‘s original position. The technicians weren’t puzzled by the fact that the A321‘s latches were closed, so the maintenance was completed without detecting that two planes had been mixed up. Also, when deliberately not closing the cowlings, it was normal to leave the latches in half closed position because leaving them fully opened increased the risk of injuries to ground personnel. Furthermore, the signal colour on the latches, which was supposed to make open latches more noticeable, was almost fully worn off. Without the signal colour and with the latches in half closed positions, it was a lot harder for the tug driver and for the FO to detect the unlocked cowlings during the walk-around. With this additional information, it‘s probably a little easier to appreciate why the unlocked cowlings weren’t detected?

[@AllecJoshuaIbay]

Thank you for the added info!

[@ewilloch]

You’re welcome! And please don’t think my comment is in any way intended to criticize your video or detract from your skill and effort in creating this video and all the others you‘ve made. Your videos are all on a quality level infinitely beyond anything I‘m capable of. It just so happened that I knew this little extra about this specific incident, and adding it is simply my attempt at slightly increasing the understanding why it could happen and wasn’t the result of the FO‘s or tug driver’s (potential) indifference, but in fact something that virtually could have happened to the most professional and discerning off us. Thank you so much for your excellent videos, Allec!

[@AllecJoshuaIbay]

@@ewilloch No problem. I appreciate comments like yours. It gives me added information as well!

[@leslie535]

@@AllecJoshuaIbay Thanks so much for your quality and effort in these videos. I would love to see you cover the following incident, thanks!!😀👍🏼🙏 en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean_Airlines_Flight_523

[@Arp1757]

As a suggestion, it would also help to know how the FOD from the cowls led to the cascading alarms and failures the crew observed.

[@dragonmeddler2152]

Doing the preflight on my rental C-172 each time I fly it can become a bit routine over the years, even if I rarely fly more than once a week or so. For a commercial pilot flying at least several times a week, year in and year out, I fully understand how something like this could be overlooked. Thanks for this presentation. I'll definitely be refocusing on preflights, going forward.

[@Phantom-309-e9p]

When I was in the USAF, I worked with explosives. We had to attend explosives safety training every 6 months. It took a few years for me to realize that even though it was mostly the same old thing, it did help keep you from getting complacent when making checks or forgetting some of the little details that could become a huge problem if overlooked.

[@cgirl111]

My dad was a GA pilot and always used a laminated check list and a clip board that he checked off with a grease pencil. He had that Cherokee for many many years and I saw him do that every single time.

[@wokeupandsmellthecoffee214]

We used to operate up to six sectors a day and had the responsibility of ensuring the aircraft was safe to fly and had to check its equipment was working within the MEL guidelines. Safety cannot and must not ever be compromised.

[@dragonmeddler2152]

@@Phantom-309-e9p Ahoy, brother! I was a Navy Aviation Ordnanceman with my squadron, VA-192 (my assigned A-4 E Skyhawk was "Dragon 206" so I think I know from whence your handle comes). On the flight deck we literally lived with 250 & 500 pound bombs, AGM-7 missiles and other stuff that could blow up. Got by our cautions pretty quickly when only thing you had to sit or lay on while waiting for a bird was a skid of these bad boys. Didn't fuse 'em until just before launch so we figured they were safe as rocks. I'm 75 now and if put back there 50-54 years ago, I'd probably be more mindful...

[@Phantom-309-e9p]

@@dragonmeddler2152, glad to hear from you, brother! I’m 57 now, served from 87-91. We’re getting close to a generation apart but some things don’t change much, do they? Always cool to meet someone from the ammo/explosives fields no matter when or where they were in it!

[@aflacduckquack]

Somehow, you have to think a pilot would recognize that a cowling door was open, but then again, maybe not. Biggest thing is they got the plane back to the ground safely, with no injuries. It's all good, thus. Nice production, Allec...

[@lvl10cooking]

Yeah you’d think there would be a light or warning, but if they are closed tight the only way you would be able to tell is to get on the ground right underneath the engine.

[@aflacduckquack]

@@lvl10cooking You have to have a warning light for that. Serious omission in the plane's initial design. Anything that can be left open or detached on the exterior of the plane needs a warning signal...

[@lvl10cooking]

@@aflacduckquack totally

[@kirilmihaylov1934]

@@aflacduckquack agree engine cowling detachment isn't small stuff

[@cameronwalther6520]

@@lvl10cooking can’t do a light on cowlings due to the way they need to be shifted and sometimes adjusted to fit the engine nacelles or ducts themselves unfortunately. But even a crappy cowling adjust still closes better than these from the photo prior to the flight…and halfway decent pilot should have spotted that issue

[@SMaamri78]

That's one check the FO will, for the rest of his career, do each and every visual inspection

[@Capecodham]

FO?

[@rob103rl]

@@Capecodham first officer/co-pilot

[@Capecodham]

@@rob103rl Then why didn't he say that?

[@dx1450]

If he still has a career.

[@vernonsmithee792]

@@dx1450 He's now the Minister of Silly Walks.😆

[@SpaceCadet2569]

I always enjoy watching your videos. Thank you.

[@jamesparker6017]

Coral Gables 🌴🇺🇸 Caught this on a early morning walk around at MIA Pan Am late 1970's. 👍 🏄

[@EphemeralProductions]

this is an exciting one! Love it! It was very cool how they handled it. Kept as calm, collected, and clear-headed as they could and kept themselves and the whole airplane safe.

[@donnafromnyc]

Great work Allec...this one was a nail biter. I was ready for the door to pop open. And the captain wasn't that attentive either to the F/A on the interphone.

[@edwardarthur9260]

Interesting and perhaps unlucky no Pax spotted this. As a weekly ✈ commuter pre-CV19, I spotted a bird strike in the leading edge when boarding. Asked CC for a word with Captain at top of steps and told him what I'd seen lest he was unaware. Told me he knew (from earlier sector) and all fine. Impressed that as soon as I was in my seat I saw him go out for another look. No harm in mentioning something IMHO, no matter how trivial, as my incident was. Tks for the great work.

[@uralbob1]

Wonderful stuff Allec. Thanks for your very good work!

[@Cdearle]

I’d like to have Mentour Pilot’s take in this in terms of not just Cockpit but Cabin Resource Management. As has been mentioned, if the cabin crew tries to contact the pilots just after take off, it will not be for some routine issue. Add to this the ignored advice from the First Officer and we have shades of Captain Key (look him up) though with less disastrous results.

[@Gryphon1-1]

Thought that emergency exit door was gonna open somehow on top of things. Reminds me of a movie.

[@paulcooper8818]

Yeah, I thought someone was leaving early

[@Capecodham]

gonna?

[@scott3462]

I hope they were able to move the passengers away from that door.

[@lessharratt8719]

Maintenance crews could simply clip a highly visible yellow ribbon to the cowl latches at any time the have them not securely latched.

[@patagualianmostly7437]

Wow! Some common sense at last! This excuse that they lowered the doors during maintenance to avoid injury to ground staff.... what a crock of shite.... Your solution would have prevented this nonsense.... IF: It ain't Latched: It is clearly showing as such. Thank you!

[@nataliegardner3122]

I would have thought it better if the senior cabin crew member thumped the cockpit door and shouted to get the phone......sod procedure when there's a flap on.

[@TommyRaines]

"When there is a flap on" is exactly when you need procedures, otherwise you may easily miss vital steps. That's why crews run through check lists at the first sign of trouble.

[@nataliegardner3122]

@@TommyRaines about time, with all the fizniks in the cockpit, to have cameras on the tail to see your arse....so many lives could have been saved. Evdn Concord could have aborted early and overrun.

[@paulkolodner2445]

Wow, this was a scary one. I was waiting for an explosion the whole time.

[@GeoffInfield]

Escalated didn't it! I thought it was going to be a bit of a snooze - hatch popped off, everyone survived - but it just got worse and worse!

[@janibeg3247]

Did the pilots think that the senior flight attendant was warning them that the beverage service trolley was broken?

[@patagualianmostly7437]

Absolutely! There is no RAGE like an OUT-Of-COFFEE passenger that cannot be regarded as an imminent danger to the aircraft! It's a well known human trait, don't you know,

[@davidhoffman1278]

Below 10,000 feet no extraneous conversations on the flight deck. Pilot probably reasonably assumed it was another typical cabin problem that he could deal with once above 10,000 feet.

[@davidhoffman1278]

Our pilots ran their hands over all cowl doors, access panels, etcetera. There were a few times when we had to do rapid repairs to small access doors before departure because they weren't latching down enough to eliminate all the gap. Frustrating, but our sheet metal workers could deal with it. Worse was the screwed up undercarriage gear doors that would prevent the gear trying to extend. Just a little bit too much sheet metal in the way. It could pass dozens of ground tests, but then fail in flight. Darn airloads.

[@marcuswarfield9119]

Probably so

[@marks6663]

@@davidhoffman1278 makes no sense. The FAs know that they are not to make unimportant calls below 10K feet as well. So if a call comes through, it must be urgent. So again, what did the captain think, that the FA was complaining about a trolley cart?

[@timnewton9610]

He definitely deserves more subscribers

[@gomphrena-beautifulflower-8043]

“You’ve left engine parts on the runway and were smoking” the ATC said, yet didn’t bother to inform the pilots until later, AFTER they themselves declared a PAN-PAN-PAN?! That’s almost unbelievable. Also, I would caution aircrews that if a FA is trying to reach you during a critical phase of flight, even as warnings and alarms are sounding, they do not want to ask what you take in your coffee. They want to give the Captain information to help keep everyone on board alive.

[@mbvoelker8448]

Indeed. One would think that would be high priority.

[@tomstravels520]

It was the departure controller that told them but you take off from the tower controller. Messages still had to be passed from one location to another. The runways parts might have only been spotted by another aircraft or runway inspectors

[@chrisman3965]

Cup o'tea, Cap'n? Oh and the right engine looks a bit dodgy.

[@roberthudson1959]

@@tomstravels520 Generally, all of the controllers are in the same room. If the system prevented the notification of the pilots, that is the definition of SNAFU.

[@thedocnak]

When they "Left engine parts on the runway", the controllers assumed they would be coming back for them.

[@AutobahnVault]

Both pilot's azing skills, professionalism and ability to perform under pressure saved the day.

[@JMcdon1627]

Excellent presentation, Mr. Ibay.

[@user-microburst]

At the walk around time, the engines may be fully open if engineers are working on them. But if they r unlatched and no engineer is around... questions should be made

[@fastfiddler1625]

Omg those cowl doors. Where I fly, the engines are covered with down arrows that say "LOOK." The NEOs with the new leap engines have special flags that pop out of the sides if they aren't latched. It's easier to tell on the others by looking across to the opposite engine, but for the sake of the camera and my career, I still bend down, so they both get checked at least twice. But until someone specifically points this stuff out to you, you just don't always think of it.

[@MorganBrown]

How many fancy warning lights does it take to unscrew an engine cowl?

[@vissitorsteve]

The technology, the animation and research are incredible, like no other channel. Why so many views but so few subscribers? Show this guy some respect...

[@frankblangeard8865]

If a door in my car is not closed properly a little light on the dash lights up.

[@Supersean0001]

All the aircraft cabin and cargo doors have similar indicator lights in the cockpit, but not engine cowlings or access doors.

[@thedocnak]

It was neither a car nor a door ajar so your point is moot

[@csolivais1979]

@@thedocnak whole not a door, a warning alarm would work the same way, and not be that complex

[@thedocnak]

@@csolivais1979 do u walk around your car every time before u get in it to drive to make sure the doors are all closed? No need for a light because a human checks this everytime

[@alanhess9306]

@@thedocnak Except that I have seen several aircraft accidents have occurred because people became complacent. F-4 crashed because someone did not ensure the "filler cap" on the 600 gallon centerline tank was secure. Another F-4 went down because the wing folds were not locked down. In each case, the maintenance guys made a mistake but the crew chief, the aircrew and the end of runway crew all missed these problems.

[@ScrewFlanders]

In the semiconductor industry, "lock-out" tags are used that are brightly coloured (typically day-glo), huge, and have to be removed in order to close a door, chamber, cabinet, etc. Also, _when_ a lock-out tag is in-place, a defeat cover or some other preventative device is placed on the affected system's start switch, so that an operator must consciously remove the defeat cover in order to start the machine or system. SOP is that a defeat cover can only be removed by the same person who placed the lock-out tag(s) on the system. How hard is that?

[@pibbles-a-plenty1105]

That's a different ball of problems. A system not shut down or started unannounced in a semiconductor processing plant could cause personnel to be electrocuted or poisoned to death by release of toxic gases so it must be disabled for any maintenance work to be done. If the same approach were used on airliners the operators would whine, bitch and cry that their airplanes were too complicated for their service engineers to work on.

[@ScrewFlanders]

@@pibbles-a-plenty1105 What you say is very sad but also very true. One need look no further than the 737 MAX fiasco to see the validity of your point. But I will say that the problem doesn't seem so different to me. Just look at how many of Allec's videos deal with similar problems in ground crews and pilots missing things that could've been made obvious just by having proper notification and hazard-conrol procedures in place. In addition, when maintenance is performed in a semiconductor plant, at most only a few people are at risk; when an airplane is worked on, the lives of potentially *hundreds* of people are relying on the competence and reliability of people and procedures that are involved in the maintenance and operation of that airplane. I realize I'm "preaching to the choir," but reports like this video really get to me is all. 😒

[@stevewhite3424]

@@pibbles-a-plenty1105 I realize that we all must understand that airlines are money grubbing power hungry death to their customers kinds of corporations but lock out tag out tags have been used in the airline industry for over 50 years that I'm aware of. We also use them on the fighter and cargo aircraft in the eight years I was in the military. They are hardly a new invention and hardly something that the airlines would go screaming about being too hard to do. In this case bottom line we had a professional pilot, choose to because he felt he didn't need to ignore the walk around checklist that had very specific instructions to check the latches. The mealy mouth excuses that were recounted in this video are just that mealy mouth. I now want to go look at the official incident reporting from the UK and get more information.

[@Houndini]

Simple sometimes is just not enough for some people. A Long story short. I will try. Kind long but true story.. I seen it countless times people not walking around equipment before operating it. Jump in & they are gone. Or not paying 1 bit of attention what they doing while doing a pre operation check list. 1 time I holding on for my life going 25+ mph on back of Cat 992 endloader. My tools flying everywhere. Had jump off at safe spot & still try stay away from them big rolling tires. I about got bounce into them tires couple times. Equipment key was in my pocket with My signed lock out "do not move " tag out right on steering wheel tied to it. He used his own master key. He Throw my lock out tag in floor. Took off flying with myself on off side back working on it holding on for my life. He about killed me. Or I was going kill him. Main boss stop pick me up help me pick up my tools for about 1/4 mile. Boss at 1st asked What in world are you doing? I Told him. He got very mad.. I was sent myself to other end job site to cool down before I had a talk with that idiot he would not like not 1 bit. That guy got 3 days + 4.1/2 hours off without pay to give him time to get his Gomer Pyle style of a pee brain back to working again. With 12 months probation within 5 mins after Boss got myself safely to my Mechanic Tk & I was heading other way with promise not to turn around. 1 more screw up Mr. Gomer Pyle want to be would be dismissed on the spot. Fired. True Story seen it happen countless times. That how people get killed. Pre shift even your personal auto it still so very important. You never know. Safety only starts with yourself 1st. Cost Company 1 new Lap top. 1 new over $700 multi-meter. He tore up.. I was working on electronics issues or The Master Switch would been turned off too.

[@richardcline1337]

@@ScrewFlanders, as a retired federal civil service electronics tech for close to four decades we were made to tag out anything electrical or that could have the potential to injure someone. As Pibbles-a-Plenty pointed this process would cause the operators to whine, bitch and cry but to my way of thinking, a few extra minutes of checking for tag outs is a small price to pay for insuring they don't scatter bodies all over the place and lose an aircraft. This crew was fortunate in that the engine fire did not spread to the wing tank possibly caused by the leak and cause a massive explosion because there was still a small amount of fuel in the tank. So many things that coud have gone wrong didn't and that flight was very fortunate.

[@LMDProductionsOfficial]

I love that this guy is still rockin' FS2004.

[@liamb8644]

I remember this one so well!! Greetings from the UK.

[@paulcooper8818]

Did you leave the cowling unlatched?

[@thedocnak]

me too... just watched it 5 minutes ago

[@liamb8644]

@@paulcooper8818 Sorry I Do Not Understand?

[@taniablack5018]

@@paulcooper8818 No wrong

[@taniablack5018]

@@thedocnak Hey.

[@susiesweet8003]

Maintenance should have check lists to make sure everything is the way it's supposed to be when they complete a repair/routine inspections on the plane. This isn't the first video I've seen where maintenance screwed up like this. 🤨 At lest no one died this time. The captain should not have ignored the flight attendants calls to the cockpit. They wouldn't have been calling them, bothering the flight crew during the first several minutes of take off unless it was an emergency.

[@patagualianmostly7437]

I'm inclined to agree with that Susie..... Or at least have some protocols in place that denotes such a call IS AN EMERGENCY. Seems basic... But hindsight works that way!

[@lardyify]

Maintenance engineers used to conduct pushbacks and carry out preflight inspections (and certify that they had been carried out) but, of course, the bean counters soon put a stop to that. Now, pushbacks are conducted by the tug driver alone, another level of inspection has been removed and reduced safety is the result. As an aside, every door on the aircraft is monitored by a proximity switch, and a light in the cockpit (or EICAS message) except the engine cowls. This seems to near universal across aircraft types and I don’t really know why.

[@ricbarker4829]

"This isn't the first video I've seen where maintenance screwed up like this. 🤨" I love it when people come in after the fact who know absolutely nothing about the subject matter and make these types of comments. Of course maintenance people have check lists, but there is a thing called "human factors" that mean for whatever reason, people make mistakes. You will never eliminate all errors and mistakes made by people when they are carrying out their job. As for the captain answering the phone once the aircraft is rolling, good luck with that. Even if he did ignore the sterile cockpit rule, he wouldn't have had enough time to abort the takeoff, the outcome would have been the same.

[@susiesweet8003]

@@ricbarker4829 🥱 😴

[@larrybaker5316]

excellent point

[@mbvoelker8448]

Surely the most reliable and fail-safe method of verifying that latches are latched is to touch each one. This is routine in many types of inspection in many fields.

[@12jazon]

Seriously. Like just whack it with your hand or while holding a broom. If it moves, there's a problem. You can do it as you walk on by, zero time spent. Duh!

[@mbvoelker8448]

@@12jazon Exactly. I used to sew tactical gear in a factory and some of the pieces were very complex with a lot of small, added pieces. We got in the habit of touching each place where a piece of webbing or other subassembly ought to be in order to make sure it was actually there. If there were supposed to be 16 items you counted to 16 as you touched each slot.

[@thereissomecoolstuff]

It's funny but painting the ring Brite orange so that if the door was opened it would be easily identifiable as well as the door latches. Minor efficiency improvements could have prevented this incredible situation.

[@brianstubberfield2116]

As an ex loading team leader and push back headset man at said airline I can confirm that checking latches on the engine cowlings was never included in any training package.saying that , anything out of the ordinary should be checked with the flight crew during the final walk round pre push.happened to me a few times ( bumps dents etc)Something small and insignificant it may seem but the pilot would always thank you for it. Typical example of the Swiss chess effect used in training to demonstrate what can go wrong when everyone takes their eye of the ball and become complacent.

[@peteconrad2077]

It is included in the training of headset men for BA.

[@arturo468]

Although engineering left the cowls unlatched, the F/O should certainly have noticed this. He partially redeemed himself by pointing out the fuel loss and the potential for fuel exhaustion. The Captain's performance during this serious incident was inadequate. Standard operating procedures were not followed during the engine shut down approach and landing. The emergency could have been managed much better and it is very fortunate that no serious injuries resulted. I would have expected a much more professional flight crew from a UK flag carrier.

[@danielchapman7899]

Might I point out that this is in no way a catastrophe. It could have been, but the title is misleading.

[@n0rbert79]

"Everybody on board survives" - My favourite four words.

[@gomphrena-beautifulflower-8043]

Mine too, hands down!

[@Berchol]

Not disclosing the pilots’ names at the start is always a good hint 👍🏻

[@RMD992-f2n]

Makes for a boring video tbh

[@markoman5267]

Not only that....nobody was injured. There always seems to be someone who gets hurt no matter how benign the incident.

[@CoIoneIPanic]

That wouldn't be so funny if you are one of the dead people.

[@Blackairaviationofficial]

I’m glad that everyone survived

[@gemma3877]

It's a shame that there's no way for the cabin crew to flag up that they're trying to make an urgent communication, not a routine call. (Since they can't stick their head into the cockpit nowadays and say "hey there's flames coming out of the engine" or whatever.)

[@MrEsMysteriesMagicks]

Senior flight attendant calls on the emergency interphone. "You have an engine falling apart, Captain." "Surely you must be kidding." "No, I'm not. And stop calling me Shirley."

[@alanwilliams9310]

The problem was that the Captain was not prepared to listen.

[@patrickflohe7427]

@@alanwilliams9310 The problem was that the captain was very busy on climb-out. Flying the aircraft out of a busy air corridor on take-off comes first, as does landing, before interphone calls. It’d be a pity to fly into someone else’s airspace over a detached cowling. Fly the aircraft, monitor course / heading, airspeed, altitude, pitch, engine parameters, etc. Once you’re well established in the climb and not having to follow more ATC instructions, THEN, you can deal with interphone calls. -Priorities.....

[@kickedinthecalfbyacow7549]

They had already decided to return the Heathrow, talking to the cabin crew would not have changed that decision.

[@joesphmotto907]

Great job as always 😊

[@allenmurray7893]

The pilot doing the walkaround should always do a close-in check of the cowling latches and make sure they are properly latched. A flight engineer, of course would do this, however most newer planes dont carry one. Most professional flight engineers have a maintenance back ground, and know how to check them, and know enough to do it always.

[@StarscreamXIII]

As a tech we’re actually required to have someone come and inspect our latches after we’ve closed and secured them. At least it’s required from the company I work for.

[@garthcox4]

Assuming the walk round actually happened. They sounded complacent at best.

[@allenmurray7893]

@@garthcox4 Unfortunately, I think you may be right.

[@paulu7751]

@@StarscreamXIII exactly. Back checking isn’t 100% required at my airline either, but a lot of Mx techs request one anyway. CYA….

[@royharper9472]

I was never afraid to fly, UNTIL the time I worked as a mechanic for trucking company. I saw so many mechanics failing inspections ....not adjusting brakes. One mechanic left a radiator cap loose that destroyed the top half of engine when the cap hit the fans. It was then I realized the possibility of this happening with planes

[@kirilmihaylov1934]

Anything can happen in life especially when people make Mistakes

[@peteconrad2077]

You think they use truck mechanics on aircraft??

[@Sniper5354]

Were the maintenance workers held responsible?

[@AnthonyVassallo]

Is this the same maintenance crew that put the wrong bolts into the windshield?

[@ELCADAROSA]

A lot of focus on the First Officer in this incident, and deservedly so, but it also appears the maintenance crew didn’t do a complete job of finishing the maintenance steps/procedures.

[@andrewthomas5348]

Yeah, who left the cowlings open/ failed to close them properly in the first place?

[@patagualianmostly7437]

@@andrewthomas5348 and Neil Newhall: You don't get it, do you? The job of the First Officer is to ensure that some dumb so&so has not done some daft thing like not closing the cowlings.... HE. And HE alone. Is the last check on such things. He is flying the aircraft. He has a vested interest in doing these basic checks properly.... FOR HIS OWN FRIGGING SAFETY! What part of that don't you get?

[@Torontotootwo]

Sorry but I'm giving the FO credit for suggesting to shut #2. The dumbo Captain ignored the call from his human crew who knew the problem instantly and then suffered time lost trying to fathom the mysteries of the computer messaging.

[@ELCADAROSA]

@@patagualianmostly7437, I’m not a pilot, but my understanding is that the captain is responsible for completing a preflight inspection. Whether this is permitted to be delegated to the FO or not, I don’t know. I presume different airlines and private companies have rules and/or standard operating procedures regarding this.

[@heshen_ssbm]

Great video!!

[@wobblybobengland]

The lesson being, everytime you get on a plane, have a look at the engines, make sure the turbine blades look uniform, make sure the cowling doesn't have any obvious dents and that the panels look properly aligned, even if you can only see one engine.

[@CoIoneIPanic]

And then what? You have already held the boarding line up and alarmed people by trying to look out the window, now you are going to try to tell the in flight TSA nazzi there is something wrong with the plane? Good luck with that. Or you could just concede to the fact you are powerless and a prisoner the minute you get on that plane. Welcome to flying in the age of greed.

[@wobblybobengland]

​@@CoIoneIPanic Maybe I present my credentials as a BEng MSc MIMechE to the Captain, he will take me seriously enough and hopefully I'll get a free few beers during the flight if he picks up on my advice?

[@CoIoneIPanic]

@@wobblybobengland well I'm impressed but I'm not the captain and you aren't getting anywhere near him.

[@darrellborland119]

@Bob Terryson...that one is funny! Thanks...we can all take comfort that we are safety personal, also!

[@112chapters3]

Give the tyres a kick too

[@byronharano2391]

Everyone survived to fly another day, including the air craft. Thank you for the outstanding video Kuya Allec

[@kickedinthecalfbyacow7549]

Aircraft.

[@mounssouri3209]

Captain should have agreed with his FO when he suggested to shut down the engine, covering these 30 km on one engine and enough fuel would have been safer to land in that configuration and he also failed prefligh visit. FO deserves some extra wings in my opinion.

[@lee4171]

Your videos are excellent Allec, but please consider using more appropriate wording on some of them. For instance, in the case of this video, it was certainly NOT a catastrophe, but extremely fortunate. Thank you, and keep up the excellent work.

[@70slandshark47]

The pilot wasn't the only one who dropped the ball,, I believe maintenance should take most of the blame. Why wasn't there a write up in the log book?? Who signed off the air worthiness in the log book?? For mechanics you don't walk away from a job without telling someone or making an annotation in the log book.

[@miriamsamaniego3335]

The original plane they were working on had been moved and a very similar one parked in the same spot. The left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing!!

[@paulu7751]

I agree. A&P mechanic for a major U.S. airline here. Very easy to just do a quick logbook entry for opening the engine fan cowls. I’ve seen this done dozens of times at my airline ( on Airbus and on other fleet types).

[@antman5474]

Passengers frantically pressing the attendant call button as the engine dismantled itself...😂

[@davesmith5656]

Reminds me of a Twilight Zone movie, an alien ripping the cowlings off. A passenger sees it, tells, but no one believes him.

[@MrEsMysteriesMagicks]

Big difference. In the Twilight Zone episode, the passenger is flying home from a mental hospital with his wife and sees a gremlin on the wing tearing it up. It was his story about the gremlin that no one believed. BTW the passenger was played by William Shatner prior to his Captain Kirk Star Trek days.

[@andy_in_colorado7060]

"Captain Kirk" before he was Captain Kirk! Classic episode.

[@vernonsmithee792]

@@andy_in_colorado7060 No, It was "Admiral Kirk" before he was "TJ Hooker"😆

[@andy_in_colorado7060]

@@vernonsmithee792 Well, we could call it "before Captain Kirk", "Captain Kirk", "Admiral Kirk", "TJ Hooker", "Admiral Kirk", then "Captain Kirk" again since he got court-martialed and reduced in rank after saving the Earth without prior authorization. :D And that's all before he became a lawyer and website salesman!

[@vernonsmithee792]

@@andy_in_colorado7060 And let's never forget he uses Promise margarine to "grease" his Priceline deals😆

[@la8bloomer509]

Cowlings should have been noticed during the walk-around. I mean they HAD A PICTURE OF IT! This ain't just on Maintenance although they are the ones who left them open. And I agree about the cameras on the outside looking at the aircraft. IT IS POSSIBLE NOW they should be STANDARD equipment.

[@psalm2forliberty577]

This reminds me of me leaving my hood not fully latched: Going down the road blissfully and seeing hood flutter against its Safety Latch....Im like "Oops, pull over + Shut Fully, NOW" Not quite that simple @ 6,000' & 200 knots lol ! PTL no injuries just some Drama !

[@carolball5764]

Reminds me of the time I topped up water in my car and left the cap off , 2 miles later it came to mind ,did I put the cap back on? Stopped the car and could hear the water boiling like fook under the bonnet , let it cool down and drove back to get it .lol ..

[@GeorgeLennon100]

I'm sure the blame game started in full force after this potential disaster. Thank God they all made it back.

[@dennischallinor8497]

My father was a Shop Foreman for Canadian Pacific Airline (Repairs) and if a technician working for him let a plane out of the hanger in that condition he'd have his guts for garters and that's for sure.

[@teresabenson3385]

"...have his guts for garters"-- that's a new one for me. Love it!

[@Nobilangelo]

Microswitches on the cowls and warnings in the cockpit would be slightly nice to have...

[@SvcGlobal]

Exactly!

[@patagualianmostly7437]

I agre....no Rocket science is needed either. A microwave oven has such devices....why not a multi-million $$$$ airplane?

[@patrickflohe7427]

And introduce reliability problems, erroneous indications, air turn-backs, etc. Adding sensors into an area with heat, vibrations, oils, fuel, hydraulic fluid will cause reliability problems / excess maintenance if its own.

[@cargopilot747]

Definitely a failure by maintenance personnel on this one, though perhaps some blame is put on the tug driver and the FO. But maintenance crews and supervisors are required to document the work they do in a logbook, specifically assigned to each aircraft. There are work cards and other documentation to prevent this from happening. If one maintenance shift ends without the work being complete, a changeover record must be made to alert the next mx crew what has been done, and what has not. If one airplane is moved out the door and another is parked in its spot in the hangar, there are (or should be) written signs indicating the aircraft's registration number, so technicians don't confuse it with the previous aircraft. (The nose landing gear door in most cases has the reg. number on it as well.) Barring negligence, there is no way to tow an aircraft out of the hangar without the work being signed off as complete. Even simple access panels that are removed to inspect or service a component, must be documented as being closed and refastened. The work cards are a record of work completed. How could the cowls be signed off as closed, when they weren't?

[@Tijgert]

@10:30 with such an emergency "might have to go around". Inconceivable. Madness. Swiss anyone?

[@davidkleinthefamousp]

Ty alex. Beautiful job!!

[@gregmiller7123]

If I was that First Officer and I was allowed to keep my job after that incident, every flight after that would have the tower controllers asking why there were ratchet straps around both engines every time I was flying! 😂

[@Torontotootwo]

It's a miracle that everyone survived this flight of incompetence. On the next preflight, the FO should send the captain out to check the cowling hatches, then take off without him. The FO had a much better grip on the reality of the situation.

[@griffina2218]

Thanks for another great vid

[@TheUnforgiven69]

I spend 3 intense weeks training all of my military pilots on the importance of pre-flight inspections alone and complacency is taught as something which must be avoided as part of the intense training. Complacency avoidance training is given only by the Canadian military. That is why my CAF has the most highly trained competent pilots in the world.

[@peteconrad2077]

Nonsense.

[@gilbertfranklin1537]

Did I miss something? I guess the second fire extinguisher put out the fire, or else the plane landed in flames. That's what had me worried the most, as it is a really serious problem then to get the passengers out. Any fuel leaks can be disastrous, and that did not sound too minor.

[@rogueldr642smiythe9]

Good video.

[@mikecrean8849]

Another great video Allec. Captain appeared very arrogant. On a general point. For us U.K. and USA watchers could you express the distances in miles as well as kilometres. Many thanks. 🙋‍♂️🇬🇧

[@owen3drblx661]

Alec can you make a video about Guangzhou Baiyun disaster in 1990?? You should make this video to make it famous. It's one of China's worst plane crashes, which involves a Boeing 737 colliding with a Boeing 757 and breaking into pieces. 128 people are the casualties of the crash. PLS TAG THIS COMMENT and pls make the video!!

[@GeoffInfield]

They had to TELL AirBus to do what every single car manufacture does on every single door in every single car they make? Also aircraft REALLY need a way for cabin crew to alert them of priority information - ideally they could take a photo across a wing and have that pop up with a single sentence as a 'CABIN CREW EMERGENCY' message they can ignore if they wish. Something like "LEFT ENGINE ON FIRE", followed by "WHICH ENGINE DID YOU JUST SAY YOU SHUT DOWN?!!" would have been life saving for British Midlands.

[@hadeeralhakeem4328]

Well done 👍

[@rocketman48]

eccellent as usual.

[@scoobydooo4390]

Now retired but having flown in and out of Heathrow many times I'm surprised, given the gravity and escalating nature of the situation the crew chose to return to Heathrow across the endless suburbs of London instead of diverting. I think London got lucky that day...

[@peggyl2849]

I agree, especially with a sizeable fuel leak - wouldn't want that coming down on your kids in the backyard.

[@patagualianmostly7437]

They were going back for the bits & bobs they left on the runway........😉

[@C-Midori]

First time I’ve seen an A319 here, I like it!

[@bretwalley4673]

the pre flight walkthrough should have a checklist and specifically call things like this out.

[@Interdictiondeltawing]

And then some years later: A Frontier A319 suffered engine failure under similar circumstances

[@joemeyer6876]

Its 2021 and damn Teslas have cameras embedded everywhere, the frigging aviation industry could put two cameras outside where the pilots could view the engines through their fancy FMS glass cockpit, dont ya think? Nah, Not manly! Engine Fire, might have to go around, Very Manly!

[@patrickflohe7427]

What a ridiculous comment.

[@brucebieberly4166]

It's fine that the First Officer viewed British Airlines' training video regarding external walk-arounds, but isn't there any real-world follow-up? Don't flight crews get out and look at the real aircraft during conversion training? It would make things much more real.

[@patagualianmostly7437]

I just find this incident completely baffling. Horrifying, even. Everybody. BUT: Everybody let the standards slip. Negligence at all levels. Change of aircraft model confused the maintenance staff? WHAT? (Full appreciation to Erik Willoch on that....) ("Signal colour almost fully worn off"?...why didn't the maintenance staff REPAINT them then? Is that not the point of "MAINTENENCE"?) Tug Driver..." does a basic check" .... But doesn't. First officer: "Needs to bend down to see if clips are correctly positioned" But...Doesn't? Supposed to do a Walk Around...but doesn't. (Must have done a workout at the gym ....'Nah...enough exercise for me today.') I'm sorry. But this had disaster written all over it..... Glad everyone survived but for this to even occur is shameful negligence. Human causes....not mechanical failure.

[@thedocnak]

such a polite master caution on this aircraft... sounds more like the keys were left in the ignition than an emergency situation.

[@qaisbhaisaheb412]

Grave error on the part of the maintenance personnel. The First Officer too is responsible to an extent.

[@monarchmoore9590]

como siempre pura calida en tus video..

[@californiadreaming9216]

Fascinating video. And zero explanation re: connection between cowl damage and fuel leak. I'm wondering if maybe a fuel tank was punctured ...??

[@peteconrad2077]

A fuel line was ruptured.

[@coca-colayes1958]

That was a good video

[@Hughes500]

Great video, as always. It must be hard for the pilots to do all the checks required day after day, year after year. Any human being will have a bad day every now and then but discipline is required. Easy to say I guess.

[@wychowanek90]

I wonder if Airbus incorporated sensors on cowl doors because this seems like the best idea. If they aren't secured properly an ECAM message pops up. Simple and reliable.

[@tomstravels520]

Yes they are at least on the NEO’s

[@chalice3571]

Amen for safe landing

[@michaelallen1396]

I've seen this happen many many times on the Airbus 320 over the years, for some reason the pilots just don't see it when they do their pre-departure walk around, that's the last chance or unless the pushback tug driver sees it and says something, either way there's no excuse for missing it.

[@austriajog9247]

I love happy endings.

[@brentsummers7377]

I wonder if frequent flyers on A319 aircraft seated at the front of the aircraft would have seen anything amiss? Such as a larger gap between the engine or cowling? Possibly not.

[@jerrymarshall2095]

Hey Allec when the plane doesn't crash how bout some more upbeat music like chop sticks or staying alive by the bee gees

[@damianspiciarich8]

Nice views of a B737 door.

[@thatinventionsus]

Hindsight is 20/20 but I would've shut down engine #2 when I know it's leaking fuel. I wonder what the QRH says?

[@tomstravels520]

It depends where the leak is coming from

[@GeekBoyMN]

I'm wondering why there aren't sensors/switches on the cowl doors to indicate when the latches aren't fully fastened, and at least give a warning in the cockpit.

[@tow1709]

Someone built a new basilica just north of the runways, visible at 1:02

[@barryolaith]

FFS. I work with livestock. I make sure the gates are shut properly, it's not difficult.

[@silent1967]

One more reason why I stopped flying.

[@melcocha61]

Still in service as of Oct. 2020 or 2021....? Or it's lost in the confusion 😕

[@SamuelTaylorAckroyd]

That aircraft, G-EUOE is still in service as of October 2021

[@dpl2617]

As a non-pilot, the fact that the first officer didn't catch this in the walk around is inexcusable. It's called attention to detail, and I would expect any professional pilot to catch that...IT'S THEIR JOB AND RESPONSIBILITY, PERIOD.

[@keenxiandreefuego3731]

Request: TAM Flight 402 with the song: Lonely - Mylatestfantasy

[@Kwameking1]

Bravo

[@jdspreest]

So the planned inspection never actually was done.. So unlatching the doors was just for show?