STORMY landing - what went wrong? | Britannia 226A

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On the night of September 14th, 1999, a Britannia Airways Boeing 757 careened off the runway on its second attempt at landing in Girona, Spain. Why was this not a typical case of a runway overrun? And how could it be true both that the weather was a factor, and that the slippery runway was not?
This video examines the nightmare crash of Britannia Airways flight 226A, and how close it came to being far worse.
I use findings from the official accident report to recreate the series of events that led to the crash.
Background music all licensed through Epidemic Sound.
Photographs:​
Josep Duran Turon
www.airliners.net/user/durana...
Official air accident report
www.fss.aero/accident-reports...
Britannia livery for Flight Factor 757:
forums.x-plane.org/index.php?...
Girona airport scenery:
forums.x-plane.org/index.php?...
00:00 Intro
01:07 Passengers and crew
02:01 Descent into Girona
04:40 Go-around and second attempt
6:00 Crash landing
10:00 Aftermath and investigation

[@silvertbird1]

When the presenter said “everything that could go wrong, did go wrong” I thought it was a bit of hyperbole, but it was absolutely accurate. I don’t know why, but aviation information is just more interesting when presented by a brilliant narrator with a charming Irish accent.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks for the kind words :)

[@fluffy-fluffy5996]

Only one thing went “right “: where the plane skidded of the runway.

[@hayetzemni5628]

​@@GreenDotAviation😅😅 de de ju

[@FonikosGazmas]

@@fluffy-fluffy5996 I shouldnt be laughing at that 💀💀💀

[@thehomefront1905]

In the aviation world this is not classed as a bad accident, these landings are very common in bad weather.

[@arturo468]

I am a retired airline pilot and I regularly watch videos like this one, which is the best that I have seen so far. The holes in the Swiss cheese certainly lined up for this unfortunate flight crew on that night.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks! Glad to hear it made sense to somebody who has worked that closely within the system.

[@raven_1133]

Just out of curiosity, what’s the stupidest thing you’ve done while flying?

[@dann5480]

Yes holes and cheese

[@postersm7141]

You are correct sir, the Swiss cheese model lined up again. I think these pilots did everything the way they were trained it was a shit sandwich in my opinion. there’s cultural issues with the industry but at the end of the day, I think these pilots did everything they were trained to do.

[@husky_47]

@@raven_1133 nasralem na wolant !!

[@joannesmith1513]

I was in this accident I was only 11 year old at the time, this video is spot on!! It’s been mentally exhausting since sept 14th 1999

[@Socc3rchic88]

Where were you sitting? If you don't mind me asking.

[@MrHav1k]

How fast did it all go? At what point could you tell the plane had stopped and broken apart??

[@hameed]

spoiler alert bro

[@richardk.]

@@hameeddark 😂

[@Fiona-RawCutTV]

Hi Joanne, I would love to speak to you about this for a documentary we're making here at Raw Cut Television

[@blerst7066]

This channel is a hidden gem.

[@denisfly_1]

Can‘t understand why your channel was recommended to me this late. On of the best aviation-channels so far✅

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thank you and welcome!

[@shivapoudel9059]

Good one

[@Nick-pg9iy]

I flew an A321 in to Alicante (about 300 miles south west down the coast) that night and the weather along the whole coastal region was some of the worst I have ever seen. Long lines of large and very active thunderstorms were sitting just inland all the way up the coast. It was clear when we landed at Alicante but after departure back to the UK we had to fly several hundred miles north east along the coast before we found a gap to turn on track, a really filthy night. We read about the accident the next morning at breakfast in the hotel and had a "there but for the grace of god go I" moment to be honest.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Wow, what an experience it must have been to read about the crash the next morning. Whatever about the crew's decision to make a second approach into Girona, or to rush things, a badly-timed lightning strike which takes out the airport's lighting is sheer bad luck.

[@ericg4915]

I'm glad now you don't give away the ending in the intro. Almost all of these accidents I don't know how they end so it's very intense when you're telling the story I'm always wondering whether the pilots will pull it off or people will be safe

[@Nikwldfr]

By far the most cinematic aviation videos I've seen on youtube. Well done!

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks!

[@russellnixon9981]

I remember this incident and no mention of landing lights going out or nose wheel collapse because of heavy landing, it just stated the aircraft skidded off the runway in a storm. At the time I couldn't under stand why the plane was so far from the runway and why it took so long to find it and the passenger. Thank you for helping me understand what and why this accident happened.

[@kikque]

Great video as usual. What an absolute sh*tshow of bad luck that kept snowballing into a crash. RIP to the passenger who ultimately died. Thanks for your excellent content, I look forward to each video that you do.

[@michaelscarn7375]

At 6:48 after plane's front gear collapsed and brakes, spoilers, reverse thrust all went out he said "but the worst malfunction was still ahead" I wondered how could this get any worse? There is no way there was anything else to go wrong at this point. Turned there was. Oh man

[@Rsantana380]

from someone who lives in the aviation world, you're on point keep it up

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks!

[@cynthiadavid5282]

Great videos

[@Glen.Danielsen]

Outstanding video! Excellent narration as well. 💛🙏🏼

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thank you!

[@CAROLUSPRIMA]

Damn! A first-rate aviation accident channel appearing out of nowhere. The channel is representative of the very best in plane crash videos and deserves to succeed and prosper. I sincerely hope and expect that this will be so. It’s simply too good to remain little-noticed for long.

[@GreenDotAviation]

So nice of you to say, thank you :)

[@CAROLUSPRIMA]

@@GreenDotAviation Please be patient and keep up the good work. There’s always room for excellence.

[@ionutturcutvoda3545]

I`ve always said that the airplane cockpit should be equipped with airbags. It seems useless in case of a crash, but in these kinds of situations, rough takeoffs and landings, could be useful.

[@mandywalkden-brown7250]

Ooh, KZbin his this gem a little too long, but finally deigned to recommend the channel. Great presentation, thank you. Subscribed!

[@BottomLin3Op]

Pressure to land and getting in trouble by the company influenced their judgments

[@damienjeremyweir4543]

A statistic that would interest me regarding aviation accidents would be the percentage of these events in darkness or adverse weather conditions in comparason to accidents in fine normal weather or daylight. Most of the accident videos involving aircraft I have seen usually seem to be in awful weather or pitch black darkness.

[@Alicia-BG]

I truly believe that the flight engineer position should come back to aviation.

[@normtrooper4392]

Same

[@megathumper777]

Finally, someone has covered this. Great presentation

[@GreenDotAviation]

Glad you liked it!

[@Avgeek1564]

Mentour has done it as well.

[@megathumper777]

@@Avgeek1564 I saw his after but this was better, good technical analysis. Mentor is good but I don’t particularly want to see his face all the time.

[@PunchTVlink]

Simply the best 👌🏼 keep up the great work. Kudos to the cabin crew for evacuating everyone as safely as they could.

[@papah5552]

Great channel, and excellent reconstructions of accidents. This channel has become of the best, if not the best in showcasing this type of content.

[@jessicacooper8452]

My parents were on this flight, this was very interesting to watch thank you!!

[@shoottokill1o175]

What have they said about the accident?

[@senorpepper3405]

​@@shoottokill1o175nunya

[@senorpepper3405]

​@@shoottokill1o175nunya

[@moiraatkinson]

I just discovered this channel and what a find! Loved every minute - great presentation and new material for me. Liked, subscribed and notifications enabled.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks!

[@paulkita]

Same!

[@noname-fp7tl]

Binged all your videos in a night after finding your page and wish there were more. Best aviation collision page by far lol

[@DjBlinkBlink]

Brilliant narration mate. You stuck to the facts and summarised it all at the end of the video 👏👏👏

[@joannesmith1513]

Spit in I was in this accident 😢

[@mbryson2899]

A great recounting of this accident, well researched and presented.

[@HellaWasted]

This channel is gonna grow as fast!

[@exc.7415]

keep going, this channel is going to grow well

[@paulkita]

Thanks for making these awesome videos

[@onehappykamper]

Good grief... So many things went wrong! Great video

[@JohnnyLaps]

I'm a new sub to your channel.Your descriptions are excellent and educational as well.Carry on mate.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thank you and welcome to the channel. :)

[@Wisald]

For lights to go out just as they were about to land and altitude announcements to be overridden right after that, it has to be something like 1 in 100000 event.

[@64Deano]

Another great video of the gerona crash exactly as i remember it

[@dragonclaws9367]

These are absolutely an experience with earbuds in, the music sets the atmosphere and is a cinematic experience full of tension; Wonderful. ❤ Kudos!

[@mrpurelybluu]

Green dot and mentour pilot are the two power houses of breaking down aircraft incidents and crashes. Much love for the engaging and interesting content dude 🤘

[@AlexJ1037]

Great video! Looking forward to seeing more content from this channel.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks! More on the way...

[@PascalSacleux]

Great video , definitely just subscribed

[@lavhen4778]

Great video, thanks 🙏🏿

[@captplaystation]

To add to the " if it had left the runway at any other point" . . . . . if the uncommanded thrust had been a bit more from number 2 engine, & they had left runway to the left, the other side of the runway, in pretty much the same location as the crash-site, is the fuel farm ( fuel storage tanks )

[@GreenDotAviation]

Join the Patreon to support the channel! www.patreon.com/GreenDotAviation

[@mickdunne981]

I am new i have hit the bell 🔔 and liked the video

[@billythekid3234]

Just found your channel,,,,, I'm looking FOWARD TO WATCHING MORE VIDEOS LIKE THIS ONE!

[@JonathanT449]

More videos green dot please great videos !!

[@dogeswag1044]

awesome video, i can see you put lots of effort into making this. cant believe you only have 600 subscribers. A+ for you i subscribed :D

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thank you! Hope you enjoy what's to come.

[@JonathanT449]

More videos please these videos are very interesting!! Great watch !!

[@Aschoolbusandsimulatorfan2219]

Super Amazing Night Shift Flight As Always Bro, I'm Definitely Your New Gamer As Well 😎

[@KeepTechnic]

Great channel and amazing video quality! So underrated! Keep up the work.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks!

[@robkyzer6695]

Excellent video quality. That in certain situations pilots are thinking low fuel repercussions from corporate is disturbing. Unless pilot’s poorly planned. Well done

[@Roman-nu1om]

Your videos are somehow unique as they're mostly presenting incidents driven by odd probabilities

[@royharper9472]

Boy, you just snuck right in. Quality production.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thank you 😎

[@bonniephillips5672]

Loving your channel!! Just subscribed!

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thank you and welcome!

[@kylereyes2337]

Love this video. I’m surprised the 757 remained relatively intact despite how bad the crash was. If you’re okay with requests, can you please recreate Air Philippines flight 541? The year 2000 crash is the deadliest that has occurred in the Philippines up to this date.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll have a look into this!

[@jamesross720]

How's your luck?! Great channel, really high quality production, including excellent narration. Have now subscribed.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thank you James!

[@samarpan9382]

That one passenger had a final destination story arc...rip😊

[@byronbailey9229]

Wow how unlucky can the pilots be. Runway lights fail at flare commencement height. Great informative video. A B757 of another British airline also had it's nosegear punch up through into the electronics bay when landing at Funchal which is like an aircraft carrier on the side of a volcano. I flew B727 into Funchal.

[@kenmay1572]

On one of my flights into Funchal the captain announced "don't be surprised if I go around as I have a strong desire for self preservation"

[@thegrimreaper1991]

Awesome channel 👍🏻

[@ulfstrom]

Superb video. Happy new year from Sweden.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Happy new year!

[@YAWSSSSSS]

RIP to the 1 passenger who didn't survive this accident. It is still very impressive that the majority of the passengers survived in such a horrible crash.

[@meversusme7728]

Thank you for the video

[@bobkile9734]

Great video. I’d like to make a request: in your description, could you please say what aircraft model is involved? Like, say “Britannia 226A, a Boeing 757.” It would be helpful so one wouldn’t have to go back to the intro to remember what aircraft it is.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks for the suggestion, that's done now!

[@mander0505]

From what seen in other report videos Girona airport installed battery back.up on run way 2 after this incident so that the runway lights would not be vulnarble to future lightning..

[@richardshiggins704]

Very detailed review about an aircraft with an excellent safety record , the B757-200.

[@RahulSharma-no3xc]

Best aviation channel

[@john-patrickfoley6893]

Great content! I particularly like that you explain the technical aspects that many similar content channels don’t. Please would you be able to produce a vid detailing BEA548 that crashed shortly after leaving Heathrow on 18th June 1972? I was seven years old at the time and remember this crash. Many thanks!

[@MovieMakingMan]

Very well done!

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thank you :)

[@davem9208]

When I was 12, I flew on a school trip from Gatwick to Gerona on a Dan Air BAC 1-11. I always remember the 2-3 seating config, as I found that unusual at that time. I didn't realize until recently that this was the airport where this accident happened, even though I remember it from that time.

[@joshuasetford4032]

Brilliant channel! Would love to see Cathay Pacific Flight 780 covered!

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks! That’s an interesting one, will cover this at some point.

[@maxflight777]

Fascinating and accurate

[@sctmcg]

This is like something out of a Final Destination movie!

[@msquared6695]

I love your vids and have at the point watched all but a few that I’ll finish tomorrow but I wish you give the death/injury count at the end of the vid like just after the crash landing

[@OJGLOVE]

I love this channel

[@christopherlennon3769]

Hey. Also from Ireland here. First time coming onto your channel but will listen in weekly. Can you do the air crash from 1996 in Longyearbyen on Svalbard.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks, I'll look into doing this one.

[@silvertbird1]

As a suggestion, Colgan Air Flight 3407, Newark, New Jersey to Buffalo, New York, February 12, 2009. I remember hearing about it at the time (although I live in Texas), and for some reason it’s always stayed with me. Some important changes resulted from the tragedy.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll definitely be covering Colgan Air at some point.

[@RonPiggott]

WOW. That was intense.

[@neilevans8940]

Poor sod with the misdiagnosed internal injuries... 😢

[@pillettadoinswartsh4974]

And then Earth's gravity failed, and the remaining non-injured passengers & crew floated off into space, never to be seen again.

[@GreenDotAviation]

“What REALLY happened to the passengers of Britannia 226A”

[@NorwayT]

Green Dot Aviation - Tenths of a second from Disaster. On 29th of October 2004 a Dornier belonging to Kato Air (ceased operations in 2008) en route from Narvik (NVK, since closed) to Bodø Airport (BOO) was hijacked. Both pilots of the Dornier Do-228-212 (LN-BER) were hit numerous times by an axe the hijacker wielded. The passengers, several of them also wounded, attacked the hijacker and managed to overpower him. At that point the Dornier was just meters from impacting terrain. Partially conscious and with blood covering their instruments, the pilots managed to make an Emergency Landing at Bodø Airport. The landing was so hard that the Captain and one Passenger injured their spinal columns. A Psychologist who analysed the actions of the Passengers concluded that it was the fact that these were people from Arctic Norway, used to dealing with Emergencies on their own, that saved the flight. You asked for tips on Incidents and Accidents, and I find this hijacking fascinating, both because it was a fraction of a second from ending in disaster, and because of the absolutely heroic actions of both Passengers and Flight Crew that saved the day. Another factor is that hardly anyone outside of Norway seems to have even heard of possibly the most dramatic Story of Norwegian Aviation History. Let me know if you find this interesting.

[@TheHobade]

I was interviewed for a position by this guy. didn't get the job. Also, applied 3 more times before they were incorporated as TUI. Anyway, glad he survived. I flew into Girona my first time with an engine failed, but we had the ILS 01 by then and CAVOK at night. I wonder what Britannia did to them if anything? Hopefully nowt.

[@josephconnor2310]

Your videos are first rate!

[@GreenDotAviation]

Glad you like them!

[@GodiscomingBhappy]

i lived in Barcelona when this accident took place and never heard of it. that flight was indeed very unlucky and even worse for the poor passenger that was relived from hospital and later on died of internal injuries. i binge watched all your videos... now dont know what to do😋

[@narabdela]

Excellent video! Succinct and to the point. No waffle!

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thank you!

[@MarkusAudio]

Yesterday I watched an episode about an aircrash in Jamaica, eerily similar to this.

[@paulrafferty1220]

My family and I landed at Gerona the day before this incident. I certainly remember the storm. It was interesting on our departure while taxing to the runway that the pilot pointed out the stricken aircraft on our left and assured us that we would not be landing in a field at the side of the runway. Very re-assuring 🥺. It was also noted that the Britannia livery had been removed from the wreckage.

[@richvail7551]

Always super when changes happen when most or all people survive.

[@Blitzy22]

Love your videos, but I’ve always been a nervous flyer and I don’t know if watching these videos will help or not but does someone have any tips to calm or reassure oneself befor a flight 😂

[@Xamry]

This must’ve been a pretty dramatic noise from the outside at the terminal. Like imagine being dropped off at the Departure terminal and hearing this mess. 😮

[@jackmiller1490]

Really like your video's...very detailed. Could you one day do the American Flyers crash that occurred on April 22 1967 in Ardmore OK. It was a Lockheed L-188 Electra.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll have a look into this!

[@jb894]

Britania is iconic

[@johntaylor5968]

That’s flying for you, when it goes wrong it REALLY goes wrong.

[@HD_555]

For the first time I see a squawk ident of a passenger flight followed by a letter after the digits

[@aabsc]

I like how the caption says "nightmare crash", so we know it isn't a dream crash

[@BabyBytheBeach]

For future videos. I recommend doing any flight that wasn’t already on Mayday. A lot of av geeks already know all those ones so continue the lesser known incidents 🙌🏽

[@yampk1]

Really really good videos thank you for all your time & effort 👌 😇

[@landychen9968]

I like your video 🥰

[@GreenDotAviation]

I like your comment :)

[@landychen9968]

@@GreenDotAviation keep it up 😉

[@Dakiraun]

These are really fascinating! It's amazing how what often starts as one small oversight has a trickle and amplification effect that leads to the disaster.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Exactly! A lot is made of the Swiss cheese model of accidents in aviation, but I think this fails to emphasise how interrelated mistakes/failures actually are. One failure often leads to other failures, especially when the human factor is involved.

[@Dakiraun]

@@GreenDotAviation Oh for sure - and that is something that translates to _many_ fields, including my own in IT: Network Administration/Engineering. My father was also a Safety Manager, so from the time I was a kid, I'd hear stories of how little things let to another thing and just caused a cascade of events that resulted in an accident. Back on the topic of planes, I find it really amazing because of how enormously complex the planes and all variables are; that even with the best of planning and intentions, accidents happen and reveal _new_ things that had not been considered.

[@GreenDotAviation]

@Aaron M. That's really interesting. I suppose it's a property of systems generally - that failures are interrelated - because the parts themselves are interacting with each other. And naturally, as you say, the more complex the system, the greater the tendency towards cascading (and unpredictable) failures of interrelated components. In this view, each new (say) air accident reveals a weak point in the system, i.e. a component on whose functioning depend a whole host of other components, with little redundancy. Thanks for this thought...can definitely see a future video on this topic!

[@Dakiraun]

@@GreenDotAviation Yep - sometimes it's just the repetitive nature of something that makes an error get overlooked because the glitch indicator is little different than the broadcast of things being "okay". And yeah, I recall watching some old "Seconds from Disaster" many years ago where they pointed out a lack of redundancy on controls, or poor placement did in a plane. I recall one where an engine self-destructed from a crack in a turbine blade, and that blade lodged into the aircraft at _just_ the right place to cut _all_ of the hydraulic lines. And since they were all in the same place (primary and secondary) and had no isolation values, all controls were lost.

[@GreenDotAviation]

Yea, Murphy's law is really at work in those cases. I think the crash you're referring to is United 232. Incredible that they managed to land that, it's probably the most skilful feat of flying that I'm aware of.

[@mba7454]

Thank you for the engaging documentary. If able please feature the crash of East African Airways EC720 Super VC10 in Addis Ababa at Take off on 18 Apr 1972. Quite similar to the Concorde crash.There is a full final investigation PDF report

[@Hellsong89]

How about chemical flares that are set off when primary power is cut and generators are not powered on? Simple as electromagnet that is constantly powered by mains, but when power is cut it closes and set off the flares. Also one could coat the runway lights with glow in the dark material that charges from the lights being on and stay glowing for a while.. not sure if those have enough power to be seen from the plane landing, but might be worth to look into.

[@jammRJ]

This is the one where a passenger walked back to to airport and let them know where the plane was.

[@skipgetelman3418]

Why is it that landing in or adjacent to thunderstorms happens too often causing so many injuries and deaths Haven’t pilots learned to divert or hold until the severe weather is no longer a treat

[@neilevans8940]

There was little fuel to hold as there was already insufficient fuel to divert...

[@juanbpita]

Hello. Can you please recreate the flight TP425 accident That was on November 19th 1977 at Santa Catarina Airport in Madeira, Portugal. Here I am to support your proyet. Kind regards from London. 👍🏻

[@GreenDotAviation]

Thanks, I’ll have a look into this one!

[@JuliusUnique]

what they should also improve it more backupsystems for runway lights tbh

[@yellowrose0910]

Nice: you can land at a safer easier airport but you'll get in trouble, or you can try a much more dangerous landing but your boss won't be mad. We need to decouple corporations from aviation decisions for safety.

[@rudybriskar5267]

Alaska Airlines had three runway excursions at Ketchikan International Airport. All 737s. One ended up in the channel between the airport and the City of Ketchikan. Two excursions occurred at the opposite end of the runway. One broke in half. I don't know what year but as bad as they were I'm sure there are NTSB reports.