- Published
A passenger on a British Airways flight that issued a distress call on approach to Heathrow Airport earlier this month has described the rising fear in the cabin and a lack of information from the crew.
asserted
that → publish → crew
Edward Killiwick had been travelling back from a friend's birthday party with his partner Julie, on the flight from Dusseldorf in Germany on 6 July.
asserted
Killiwick → travel → July
He said passengers were told that the landing had been aborted, and then he felt a "very violent manoeuvre" and "did think we could crash".
uncertain
we → say → manoeuvre
He and his partner had to comfort a woman who "completely lost it and started screaming, 'I don't want to die'".
asserted
I → have → it
The flight landed safely, but the incident is being investigated with assistance from BA.
asserted
incident → land → BA
The UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it was "investigating a serious incident", and France's accident investigation authority, the BEA, said on Wednesday that the plane, an Airbus A320, had issued a distress call.
asserted
plane → say → call
Edward said: "The violent manoeuvre almost felt like it was avoiding another aircraft.
asserted
it → say → aircraft
You could feel the engines going at full power.
uncertain
engines → feel → power
"It was a bit odd going around in a holding pattern with no information.
asserted
It → go → information
I thought if they're not talking, then they're not in a good place."
asserted
they → think → place
He said they were in a holding pattern for about 15 minutes.
asserted
they → say → minutes
The BEA said that as the plane approached Heathrow, there was a data system failure which triggered a stall warning.
asserted
which → say → warning
The crew then flew the aircraft in a different mode called "alternate law", which removes some automated flight protection systems.
asserted
which → fly → systems
Another stall warning then occurred at 3,000 feet — which experts say was likely to have been just miles away from the airport.
asserted
experts → occur → airport
The urgency call the crew had already made was upgraded to mayday, indicating imminent danger.
A British Airways spokesperson said the airline was assisting the AAIB with its investigation and was not legally able to comment further at this stage.
asserted
airline → make → stage
Edward said: "I was definitely scared.
asserted
I → say → ?
After the violent manoeuvre I thought, there is definitely something very badly wrong here.
asserted
I → think → manoeuvre
I did think we could crash.
"
uncertain
we → think → ?
I did think it was a possibility, and I think everyone else did."
He added: "I think everyone was getting very scared, including one lady who completely lost it and started screaming 'I don't want to die.'
asserted
I → think → it
"Then we did land, but still no communication from the flight deck, which I suppose isn't surprising as I suppose they had quite a lot to do.
asserted
they → land → lot
"
Several fire trucks and a police car were on the tarmac when the plane landed, Edward said.
asserted
Edward → land → tarmac
"There was a few people that did clap, but not that many because I think everyone was just relieved to be on the ground," he said.
asserted
he → be → ground
"Julie, my partner, did shed a few tears when we landed."
asserted
we → shed → tears
- Published
A passenger on a British Airways flight that issued a distress call on approach to Heathrow Airport earlier this month has described the rising fear in the cabin and a lack of information from the crew.
asserted
that → publish → crew
Edward Killiwick had been travelling back from a friend's birthday party with his partner Julie, on the flight from Dusseldorf in Germany on 6 July.
asserted
Killiwick → travel → July
He said passengers were told that the landing had been aborted, and then he felt a "very violent manoeuvre" and "did think we could crash".
uncertain
we → say → manoeuvre
He and his partner had to comfort a woman who "completely lost it and started screaming, 'I don't want to die'".
asserted
I → have → it
The flight landed safely, but the incident is being investigated with assistance from BA.
asserted
incident → land → BA
The UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it was "investigating a serious incident", and France's accident investigation authority, the BEA, said on Wednesday that the plane, an Airbus A320, had issued a distress call.
asserted
plane → say → call
Edward said: "The violent manoeuvre almost felt like it was avoiding another aircraft.
asserted
it → say → aircraft
You could feel the engines going at full power.
uncertain
engines → feel → power
"It was a bit odd going around in a holding pattern with no information.
asserted
It → go → information
I thought if they're not talking, then they're not in a good place."
asserted
they → think → place
He said they were in a holding pattern for about 15 minutes.
asserted
they → say → minutes
The BEA said that as the plane approached Heathrow, there was a data system failure which triggered a stall warning.
asserted
which → say → warning
The crew then flew the aircraft in a different mode called "alternate law", which removes some automated flight protection systems.
asserted
which → fly → systems
Another stall warning then occurred at 3,000 feet — which experts say was likely to have been just miles away from the airport.
asserted
experts → occur → airport
The urgency call the crew had already made was upgraded to mayday, indicating imminent danger.
A British Airways spokesperson said the airline was assisting the AAIB with its investigation and was not legally able to comment further at this stage.
asserted
airline → make → stage
Edward said: "I was definitely scared.
asserted
I → say → ?
After the violent manoeuvre I thought, there is definitely something very badly wrong here.
asserted
I → think → manoeuvre
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
