British Airways forbade Captain Burkill from discussing the accident with either his coworkers or the press in the years immediately following the crash. Unfortunately, rumors spread through BA during this time that the Captain froze and crashed the plane, and many of the other pilots and flight attendants refused to fly with him. BA never countered these rumors, and the situation there became so intolerable that the Captain quit, but then he could not find work with another airline. BA eventually rectified the situation, and rehired Burkill but he and his family suffered unfairly until the truth was finally revealed. He wrote a book about this crash, and the afterward, which is well written and which I highly recommend.
I certainly can relate to how the Captain felt. I've been treated unfairly by people who thought they know me or my situation or what was going on, and they didn't know the truth of the matter. AND people are very judgemental, it's scary.😮 It really has put a damper on my life. Because of people's judgment, lack of mercy, and misunderstanding. And unlike these detectives who go to the very inth degree in finding the true cause, most people don't do that, they're just happy to accept whatever initial information they get and they run with it. I believe I've heard it called "Feathers in the wind." Feathers that cannot be retrieved most times.😢😮🤢
Its like the tips of the control rods being made out of graphite or putting emergency generators in the basement of a nuclear power plant. So, Why only heat part of the tube.? Seems like a huge oversight.
The pilot not only saved 152 people but he landed the plane almost intact so the investigators were able to pinpoint the problem and the problem was corrected on all 777 Planes avoiding further catastrophes.
Correction: this issue only happened to the aircraft fitted with the Rolls Royce engines and fuel heaters, the GE 90's never experienced this issue as their fuel heaters have a superior design that allowed for a higher flow rate as the GE90's produce far more power.
The investigators did a great job figuring out what happened and the pilots were awesome. I'm glad the only thing that was lost was the plane. That can be replaced, lives can't.
An old pilot friend always said that the most a plane costs is the insurance deductible, and plenty of people die trying to save a few grand. You have to fly the plane until you either land or terrain starts making choices for you. These pilots did that very well.
@@kdawson020279ell your old pilot friend isn’t very smart. He doesn’t understand economics or how insurance works. Probably a fan of Bonnie and Clyde, ‘well, duh, it’s the fed’s money’. Or maybe he loves him a good looting. Portland and Seattle have major stores closing because THAT’S HOW LOOTING AND INSURANCE WORKS. Any pilot can tell you…..unless they’re senile like your old friend…….you save the plane you save more people. I bet he doesn’t recommend bailing in a boat
@@debbylou5729 You miss the point. The idea is that planes are replaceable, passengers not so much, so if you gotta pick only one, save the passengers.
@@debbylou5729 Best example, what if Sully had augered his Airbus into homes or office buildings trying to land on a runway to save the plane because millions of dollars?
...so essentially what happened is the plane had a heart attack. Solid material formed on the insides of the fuel lines which was dislodged and caused a blockage, just like plaque in a person's arteries.
Not exactly there Chief.....this was fuel not blood, fuel lines not arteries, ice not cholesterol, engines not human heart. I hate to piss on you parade, but those are some stark differences that can't be ignored. Thank God you don't work for the NTSB, you best stick to your comic book investigations, Sport !!!!
well I mean in the interest of self preservation I can imagine he most likely was concerned with his own survival, but of course a captain can't outright say "I didn't wanna die so I better do something or I'm dead" no can't go on tv and say that even though Id bet that's his main concern instead he has to, as well as every other captain in his situation, put his passengers first and foremost when discussing the incident lol maybe I overthink things but im pretty sure I'm right
@@skeetrix5577 I do agree with your point but on the contrary, consider another situation: He's alive and the passengers aren't. Imagine the burden he has to carry. Could he have made a decision that would've saved their lives instead of his or including his? That question would bug him forever probably.
Nobody ever wants to be anywhere near such a scene but always pray we fly with such professionals. Thank you sirs for humanity and your calm and courage.
@@JuniorKishinyea right, well perhaps you should go run the aircraft investigation team being you can solve this so quickly perhaps you can tell them where the Malaysia 777 is??? Or at least after they find it you can say that you knew where it was all along.
@@jacobhendrickson8935 Once they decided ice was the most likely cause, it's just common sense, kid. It's like the plaque buildup in arteries that suddenly dislodges and causes a stroke. Not everything has become an argument. If you aren't willing to make an issue of it in real life, don't go acting tough and smart online, son. It's a bad look.
@@JuniorKishin ok let me start over, I’m not at all meaning to act like a keyboard warrior. I seriously can’t stand that crap. So you’re right I came off wrong. But seriously man your gonna tell me if you was the head investigator of this investigation you would have just easily solved it. And if that’s the case I’m certain they are looking for just that someone.
My husband flew the DC9, the 727, the 1011 and the A300. My flight attendant rides were Convair 440, DC6, DC7, ELECTRA and Boeing 707. I guess that makes me 81 years old. Our second son flew as chief pilot on the large Lear medically equipped flights. I appreciate these true and interesting aviation histories. Thank you.
@@motivationisevolution9555 How old are you? Have a decent job? My husband was 28, married and one kid when he decided to try for it. It took 3 years of us scraping by, with hope and then success. I believe you can do it. Save hard, do it slow and good luck!!!!
Mine's also surviving something so tragic is truly a blessing and miracle AMEN but I don't trust any human being with my life especially in the air I'm a true GROUND Hog yessir I don't have any wings to be up in the air 😊
@@emr6153 nah nothing like a pilot put in an impossible position and they manage to save people’s lives against all odds. Check out UA 262 or the gimli glider
@Joe Was, this is a silly and outdated thing to say. I don’t know why people think this is some wise aviation saying. By that logic if I land on top of pedestrians and walk away, that’s a good landing.
The flight crew was above and beyond no doubt but!! The crash investigators,mechanics , and others are to be equally recognized for finding the problem that would have killed many . Fantastic job all around .
The matter of fact and stiff upper lip national character of the British aircrew went to work on the entire management of the landing and successful evacuation of the aircraft.
I know captain Burkill suffered of rumors of choking up and crashing. They saved everyone’s life and I would be proud to fly with such a captain any day.
The flow of fuel kept the tips of the tubes of the heat exchanger and the ice cold. Cutting back the flow (which the Delta flight had time for) allows the heat of the heat exchanger to warm up the tips and melt the ice. The problem corrects itself, if there is enough time but not if you are about to land. Glad they found this!
Isn't that something? So every Royce engine probably had this issue. unreal. This is why accident investigation is SO important... yeah condensation forms on the insides of those huge tanks but they hafta be vented so you can't have a vacuum in there or that would just crush the tanks. thus ice WILL form.
Very smart move made with seconds to act, extremely challenging flaw in the fuel flow design that easily could have never been detected, tons of investigation, and finally a very reasonable and thankfully simple fix. This story is basically the best total set of outcomes it could possibly be.
Another good reminder that *cabin crew are NOT there just to make my coffee* .... the training they undertake as first responders who will by definition have been through the entire accident FIRST is incredible. I wish they got more respect from impatient jerks who treat the cabin like a cafe 🤬 GREAT crew from nose to tail!! Seeing the main gear pushed up through the winds vindicates leaving them down, drag or no drag, that rate of descent was gonna be ugly.
@@clarkchambers9992 me also. I was cabin crew with BA, now retired, and it annoys me when people referred to us as stewards and stewardesses. A throwback to the 50’s and 60’s. We have flight crew and we have cabin crew, And for clarity to all, cabin crew are there primarily to look after pax safety and security, not there to serve food and drink. Cabin crew who has been through initial training plus the annual recurrent testing will all tell you this. And for the treatment of the Captain afterwards, yes BA should’ve been ashamed of themselves. Imho, they threw him under the bus.
It's rather mind-boggling how many systems and parts are designed to prevent certain problems. Knowing if any of them could fail always feels like walking a thin line between success and failure.
Air crash investigators are unsung hero's. How many lives have they saved with their relentless search for the cause. As a veteran, I applaud their dedication and skill. Well done!
Nope, this is beyond Sherlock Homes. The dedication, perseverance, and attention to detail of transportation investigators is amazing. They just don’t quit till they find the answer, even when it takes years. Where else does that happen?
I was at the airport waiting to board an Aer Lingus flight to Ireland when the plane crash landed. I was only 11 then. Haven't thought about this in ages.
I think the one massive downfall with having such technological aircraft, is that it creates an environment that produces more and more less experienced and less proficient manual flying pilots. Which is obviously not great and can cause an aircraft to not be able to make a successful landing when the aircraft could have if an experienced and better flying pilot crew were at the controls. There's some pilots that have thousands of hours of flying time but in reality, only have about a few hundred REAL flying time hours.
@@nexpro6118 I totally agree! I believe that the World War One flying ace, "The Red Baron, " would have been an outstanding pilot in emergency situations flying today's airplanes!🛩️
"I felt the weight of my 4 bars on my shoulder; I am the captain if I don't do anything everybody will die". Ooof; if only the captains in some of these disasters were that responsible and proactive.
Hits even harder for the incidents where the captain and crew do everything in their power, but it still ends in a tragedy due to situations outside their control.
15 years later. Congrats to Captain Peter Burkill and First Officer John Coward for their hardest work for saving lives of 156 people! 🎉 RIP G-YMMM for deeming a total loss after crash landed.
@@owensmith3995 Wow, someone in today's world (meaning someone younger, possibly), remembers history🤔?? Yes, STILL the DEADLIEST airline disaster, in history😔.
@EnchantedPencil Comics weird, if you really ponder that.. everybody loves a story like this: plane crashes, no deaths - or - ship sinks, few survive... millions see film umpteen times. We are a confounding species. SMMFH
The pilots are true heroes, using every skill in their tool box along with the intuition that comes with experience, saved the lives of all on board. Resolution of the problem seemed like mission impossible but unrelenting persistence solved the mystery, uncovering the problem. Both British and American technologies are very much intertwined in building Boeing aircraft, and especially when there seems no answer to be found, a friend in need is a friend indeed.
The pilots are heroes deciding the best on the muddy grass sliding and minimizing fire and disaster on the impact, only in 30 seconds remaining time.🙏🏿
I think the one massive downfall with having such technological aircraft, is that it creates an environment that produces more and more less experienced and less proficient manual flying pilots. Which is obviously not great and can cause an aircraft to not be able to make a successful landing when the aircraft could have if an experienced and better flying pilot crew were at the controls. There's some pilots that have thousands of hours of flying time but in reality, only have about a few hundred REAL flying time hours.
Pilot & crew, he said he was thinking of taking the controls back, but the F/O was doing a good job. That fact likely gave the captain the ability to weigh everything out & make a decision… just in the nick of time!💜🙏🏻
Can you imagine the countless nights of waking up and thinking what am I missing, what am I missing... This tenacity of finding the cause is a lesson in never giving up.
And then he is not allowed to talk about the incident for years, no conclusions on what happened, he took the blame, lost his job, couldn’t find another job, etc
You're not a terrible person. It's just our human nature. I watch true crime shows & documentaries all the time.. my husband asked me years ago why do you watch these, they're so gruesome and you're not going to solve the case, because they already caught the killer. I replied "it's just my curiosity.. at least I'm not taking notes."
Not a terrible person at all. I've got a love for disasters myself just because I'm curious to see how things go wrong, how it was figured out, and how things have changed for the better to prevent this. I can now step in a plane knowing that certain events that brought them down are likely not going to happen to me. Accidents might happen, they always do no matter what, but I can feel confident certain things have been done to ensure things like ice in the fuel won't cause the plane I'm flying in to crash land.
As others have said, this doesn't make you a terrible person. I totally sympathize. My favorite episodes of M:AD are the ones like this, in which all seems lost but a brilliant crew saves the day, and then dedicated investigators do their best to prevent a similar incident in future.
I also like to know what went wrong and what was the solution to prevent it. I just watched a movie that came out on Netflix called "Society of the Snow" and it is about a plane crashing in the Andes Mountains. Now I'm on a mission to learn about planes and what causes them to fail. I fly on planes often, and love documentaries about crime/planes so it makes us curious to learn. I know a lot of people don't like documentaries, but I do.
After hearing so many similar stories (not from this show but from some non-catastrophic incidents of engine failure) from Eastern Europe like the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Poland, and so on, I was thinking "ok... particles in fuel again?" when I first saw this episode.
9:18 "When we actually stopped, I was surprised that I was still there". This is exactly what I felt when I was a passenger in a really bad car crash. Said car crash is also why I'm not afraid of flying, because I have first-hand experience of how the alternatives can be more dangerous.
It's only surprising until you realize they had literally 30 seconds between finding out something went wrong and the crash landing. There were many other things they were thinking about at the time, so it's totally understandable!
aviation priorities "aviate - navigate - communicate" - in that order - besides - the passengers & flight attendants were already buckled in - they just didn't get the "brace" warning
As an American, and i know I’m not the only one who does, or at least used to do this and that was taking pride in BOEING. Now they feel like more and more of a national embarrassment because they prioritized revenue and profits over good engineering and placing safety above everything as their paramount concern and responsibility. They let the MBAs make all of the decisions that the engineers should have been making… I’ve started booking flights to avoid Boeing Aircraft, preferring to fly on Airbus, Embraer & Bombardier aircraft. (Yes, I know Airbus owns 75% of the A220 Program)
I was the flight nurse on an air evac mission. One patient was on a litter and could not be evacuated. I was the only medical crew member on board. A maintenance crew member was refueling the airplane but forgot to close the wing refueling area. The patient and I were on an aircraft sitting in the middle of a pool of JP4.
@@mj6962 It’s a flying tube with wings. 🪽I like to think I’m in a simulator. I’m not really flying in the air. It’s pretend. I’m not flying over the ocean 🌊 and to another continent. It’s all make believe.😬😶😹
The biggest lesson from the pilots calm reaction during this few minutes of terror is how best training, years of experiance and decicsive judgment can make a difference between life and death. The investigators also done a great job and make one crucial discovery which contributes for a safety of our flights today. BUT after watching the entire documentary miniute by miniute, I still couldn't get an answer for lead question "What makes this Delta and British Airways flights different from thousands of airplanes fliying today?" Was the heat exchanger on this two planes uniquely different from other B777 flying with no problem during the time of accident? The investigators determined after comparing with 1200 different batchs the quality of the fuel was "Very good". If the pipes are cloged with water to a level of starveing the engines, was the fuel quality test wrong? I wish this documentary answers this questions. Great job our own Mayday channel.
They did answer it. The Delta flight was not getting ready to land, so they could back off on the fuel and then ask for it again. The BA flight didn't have the time for that. At least that's what I heard them say y.
B777 have different engine configurations. The Delta and BA planes used the same RR engines. not sure why there's confusion, because the video said "not all B777 use the same engines as the BA plane" And that the "Delta and BA shared the same engines"
This Captain is part of an elite group of human beings, not just talented Airline pilots, who are graciously here on earth in the service of the rest of us. Tremendous respect for this man and his crew.
I just watched that one again. It really is fascinating. At the end, the narrator said that with all the failures on this flight, one failure actually saved lives. The front landing gear collapsed. If it hadn't, it would have taken a lot longer to stop the plane and would have ended in many more injuries and likely some lives lost. It's the Gimli Glider, if you're interested.
If this pilot hadn't successfully landed the plane so that it was not completely destroy, I doubt they would have cracked the case. Saves many lives beyond those on this plane, no doubt!!
Absolutely fascinating and instructive story! The captain and the investigators deserve to be revered forever. It is bitter what the captain had to suffer because the cause was so difficult to recognize. Because he was able to keep an overview in the most difficult circumstances and save so many lives. That was excellent and he deserves even higher honors. A true hero!
That was a really great video! I think they should have gone after the weather icy condition first but they would also have to vet out all the other potential problems as well.
What an interesting "movie" with this most extensive airplane crash investigation. It is exciting to watch and wait for the causing factor because one knew all had survived. My level of respect for aviation safety and airplane crew management went through the clouds. These examiners do not stop until they find the culprit which brought their big full airplanes down before due time. Bravo! We must have some of the best crew members in the world. Another wonderful thing about our United States. Deo Gratias.
Very reassuring to see such professionalism in this and other crash investigations. But it does seem that maybe such thorough searching for cause would not be done today in case of pilot's personal systems malfunctioning. What if critical tubes supplying fuel and more to the human computer and steering systems couldn't reach the pump because of restrictions that are not discussed? Causes of which then still are unknown producing unexpected and sudden breakdown? I've seen a few videos on this topic but the reality of the danger doesn't seem to be gaining much traction.
How did people survive this horrifying catastrophe?
They didn't hit anything other than the ground. A hard landing, but no obsructions.
"Looked fine to us" - Ryanair
@@MikeLawrencePhoto lol
I’ll even take roll away if it’s crash and walking later. Alive after is good-est.
Can't jet fuel be treated for ice like gas and diesel fuel?
British Airways forbade Captain Burkill from discussing the accident with either his coworkers or the press in the years immediately following the crash. Unfortunately, rumors spread through BA during this time that the Captain froze and crashed the plane, and many of the other pilots and flight attendants refused to fly with him. BA never countered these rumors, and the situation there became so intolerable that the Captain quit, but then he could not find work with another airline. BA eventually rectified the situation, and rehired Burkill but he and his family suffered unfairly until the truth was finally revealed. He wrote a book about this crash, and the afterward, which is well written and which I highly recommend.
I certainly can relate to how the Captain felt. I've been treated unfairly by people who thought they know me or my situation or what was going on, and they didn't know the truth of the matter. AND people are very judgemental, it's scary.😮
It really has put a damper on my life.
Because of people's judgment, lack of mercy, and misunderstanding.
And unlike these detectives who go to the very inth degree in finding the true cause, most people don't do that, they're just happy to accept whatever initial information they get and they run with it.
I believe I've heard it called "Feathers in the wind." Feathers that cannot be retrieved most times.😢😮🤢
Bast**ds.
If my employer told me that I’d tell them to toss off! Then inform the entire world of the truth 🙏
What’s the name of the book?
Its like the tips of the control rods being made out of graphite or putting emergency generators in the basement of a nuclear power plant.
So, Why only heat part of the tube.?
Seems like a huge oversight.
@@tinachandler3091 Thirty Seconds to Impact - Peter Burkill
The pilot not only saved 152 people but he landed the plane almost intact so the investigators were able to pinpoint the problem and the problem was corrected on all 777 Planes avoiding further catastrophes.
But not others ??? ! Why isn't this standard 🤔
Correction: this issue only happened to the aircraft fitted with the Rolls Royce engines and fuel heaters, the GE 90's never experienced this issue as their fuel heaters have a superior design that allowed for a higher flow rate as the GE90's produce far more power.
so it wasn't UFOs? Thanks for saving me 45 min of watching
@@PaulG.369American detected
The investigators did a great job figuring out what happened and the pilots were awesome. I'm glad the only thing that was lost was the plane. That can be replaced, lives can't.
An old pilot friend always said that the most a plane costs is the insurance deductible, and plenty of people die trying to save a few grand. You have to fly the plane until you either land or terrain starts making choices for you. These pilots did that very well.
I feel for that poor ice, that ice cant be replaced either
@@kdawson020279ell your old pilot friend isn’t very smart. He doesn’t understand economics or how insurance works. Probably a fan of Bonnie and Clyde, ‘well, duh, it’s the fed’s money’. Or maybe he loves him a good looting. Portland and Seattle have major stores closing because THAT’S HOW LOOTING AND INSURANCE WORKS. Any pilot can tell you…..unless they’re senile like your old friend…….you save the plane you save more people. I bet he doesn’t recommend bailing in a boat
@@debbylou5729 You miss the point. The idea is that planes are replaceable, passengers not so much, so if you gotta pick only one, save the passengers.
@@debbylou5729 Best example, what if Sully had augered his Airbus into homes or office buildings trying to land on a runway to save the plane because millions of dollars?
Great job on the Captain for recognizing that taking the controls was not the answer, and for keeping his faith in his co-pilot’s abilities.
CRM: Crew Resource Management
Right! He did an excellent job of keeping an overview and acting correctly in such a difficult situation. A true hero!
...so essentially what happened is the plane had a heart attack. Solid material formed on the insides of the fuel lines which was dislodged and caused a blockage, just like plaque in a person's arteries.
Looks like some will have explaining to do as far as the inspections that they were to do, if that was the case
I was thinking exactly that, too! Calcified arteries essentially
What an excellent way to frame that.. it's easier to understand, thank you.
@@H4me7215 ? Not at all. No inspection - which is done on the ground - is going to discover ice that only forms when you’re flying.
Not exactly there Chief.....this was fuel not blood, fuel lines not arteries, ice not cholesterol, engines not human heart.
I hate to piss on you parade, but those are some stark differences that can't be ignored. Thank God you don't work for the NTSB, you best stick to your comic book investigations, Sport !!!!
"I am the Captain. If I don't do anything then everybody will die." And then he does something. Powerful stuff.
well I mean in the interest of self preservation I can imagine he most likely was concerned with his own survival, but of course a captain can't outright say "I didn't wanna die so I better do something or I'm dead" no can't go on tv and say that even though Id bet that's his main concern instead he has to, as well as every other captain in his situation, put his passengers first and foremost when discussing the incident lol maybe I overthink things but im pretty sure I'm right
@@skeetrix5577 I do agree with your point but on the contrary, consider another situation: He's alive and the passengers aren't. Imagine the burden he has to carry. Could he have made a decision that would've saved their lives instead of his or including his? That question would bug him forever probably.
He died.
@@Cinerary nobody died !
@@Coder_Tavi …Wrong video. Everyone survived in this video.
Nobody ever wants to be anywhere near such a scene but always pray we fly with such professionals. Thank you sirs for humanity and your calm and courage.
Tell you what that captain did wasn't taught in no simulator that was just good thinking!
The engineers who solved the fuel -ice riddle deserve a medal too
Really? It took them a year. I solved in just a few minutes. It's so obvious.
@@JuniorKishinyea right, well perhaps you should go run the aircraft investigation team being you can solve this so quickly perhaps you can tell them where the Malaysia 777 is??? Or at least after they find it you can say that you knew where it was all along.
@@jacobhendrickson8935 Once they decided ice was the most likely cause, it's just common sense, kid. It's like the plaque buildup in arteries that suddenly dislodges and causes a stroke. Not everything has become an argument. If you aren't willing to make an issue of it in real life, don't go acting tough and smart online, son. It's a bad look.
@@JuniorKishin ok let me start over, I’m not at all meaning to act like a keyboard warrior. I seriously can’t stand that crap. So you’re right I came off wrong. But seriously man your gonna tell me if you was the head investigator of this investigation you would have just easily solved it. And if that’s the case I’m certain they are looking for just that someone.
@@JuniorKishinto be fair it takes them longer because they can't just have a theory they need to also find the proof
My husband flew the DC9, the 727, the 1011 and the A300. My flight attendant rides were Convair 440, DC6, DC7, ELECTRA and Boeing 707. I guess that makes me 81 years old. Our second son flew as chief pilot on the large Lear medically equipped flights. I appreciate these true and interesting aviation histories. Thank you.
Thanks for your service keeping us safe in the skies, Bunny.
@@stevedriscoll2539 Thank you Steve.
Iam interested about being a pilot. But not enough money for fly school….
@@motivationisevolution9555 How old are you? Have a decent job? My husband was 28, married and one kid when he decided to try for it. It took 3 years of us scraping by, with hope and then success. I believe you can do it. Save hard, do it slow and good luck!!!!
@@motivationisevolution9555 If you have any questions, ask away.
My favorite crashes are the ones where nobody gets killed or badly injured, but it almost went much worse.
Agreed.
Nah... Nothing like the one's that need reconstructed because of deaths! Sorry
Mine's also surviving something so tragic is truly a blessing and miracle AMEN but I don't trust any human being with my life especially in the air I'm a true GROUND Hog yessir I don't have any wings to be up in the air 😊
You sure about that? What about computer crashes
@@emr6153 nah nothing like a pilot put in an impossible position and they manage to save people’s lives against all odds. Check out UA 262 or the gimli glider
Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing.
Very true. ✌️
I love your profile picture btw
Kinda clichè, huh??
@Joe Was, this is a silly and outdated thing to say. I don’t know why people think this is some wise aviation saying. By that logic if I land on top of pedestrians and walk away, that’s a good landing.
First thing I learned
The flight crew was above and beyond no doubt but!! The crash investigators,mechanics , and others are to be equally recognized for finding the problem that would have killed many . Fantastic job all around .
The matter of fact and stiff upper lip national character of the British aircrew went to work on the entire management of the landing and successful evacuation of the aircraft.
The perseverance of this investigators is through the roof! Congrats to them, all the science and engineering as well as the pilots!
I know captain Burkill suffered of rumors of choking up and crashing. They saved everyone’s life and I would be proud to fly with such a captain any day.
The flow of fuel kept the tips of the tubes of the heat exchanger and the ice cold. Cutting back the flow (which the Delta flight had time for) allows the heat of the heat exchanger to warm up the tips and melt the ice. The problem corrects itself, if there is enough time but not if you are about to land. Glad they found this!
Thanks, they just told us that.
Isn't that something? So every Royce engine probably had this issue. unreal. This is why accident investigation is SO important... yeah condensation forms on the insides of those huge tanks but they hafta be vented so you can't have a vacuum in there or that would just crush the tanks. thus ice WILL form.
14:08 “Something caused the jet’s rolls-Royce engines to rollback.” 10 out of 10 description.
Very smart move made with seconds to act, extremely challenging flaw in the fuel flow design that easily could have never been detected, tons of investigation, and finally a very reasonable and thankfully simple fix. This story is basically the best total set of outcomes it could possibly be.
Another good reminder that *cabin crew are NOT there just to make my coffee* .... the training they undertake as first responders who will by definition have been through the entire accident FIRST is incredible. I wish they got more respect from impatient jerks who treat the cabin like a cafe 🤬 GREAT crew from nose to tail!! Seeing the main gear pushed up through the winds vindicates leaving them down, drag or no drag, that rate of descent was gonna be ugly.
I feel bad for the people on Costa Concordia ship, 33 who died, because the crew, captain, too, jumped ship IMMEDIATELY.
No pros there AT ALL
@@GeoffInfield When the guy in this refers to one as a "stewardess" I did get slightly annoyed...
@@clarkchambers9992 me also. I was cabin crew with BA, now retired, and it annoys me when people referred to us as stewards and stewardesses. A throwback to the 50’s and 60’s.
We have flight crew and we have cabin crew,
And for clarity to all, cabin crew are there primarily to look after pax safety and security, not there to serve food and drink.
Cabin crew who has been through initial training plus the annual recurrent testing will all tell you this.
And for the treatment of the Captain afterwards, yes BA should’ve been ashamed of themselves. Imho, they threw him under the bus.
It's rather mind-boggling how many systems and parts are designed to prevent certain problems. Knowing if any of them could fail always feels like walking a thin line between success and failure.
Air crash investigators are unsung hero's. How many lives have they saved with their relentless search for the cause. As a veteran, I applaud their dedication and skill. Well done!
Hero's? Why the possessive? Why not plural?
Remember how much they are ordered to COVER UP however
Seeing the captain talk about his wife and kids broke my heart
The flight crew did a great job.
Nope, this is beyond Sherlock Homes. The dedication, perseverance, and attention to detail of transportation investigators is amazing. They just don’t quit till they find the answer, even when it takes years. Where else does that happen?
I can’t imagine the frustration all these investigators trying to figure out this issue.
@@pittroadsixzeroseven ...yes. especially when the culprit,...the ice...had left the scene!
I was at the airport waiting to board an Aer Lingus flight to Ireland when the plane crash landed. I was only 11 then. Haven't thought about this in ages.
If you had been in the plane you would have thought about that frequently I suppose
I was there too. I was next to you lol
The crew did an excellent job.
When all else fails, hope for an awesome pilot.
And not a mandated equity hire.
I think the one massive downfall with having such technological aircraft, is that it creates an environment that produces more and more less experienced and less proficient manual flying pilots. Which is obviously not great and can cause an aircraft to not be able to make a successful landing when the aircraft could have if an experienced and better flying pilot crew were at the controls. There's some pilots that have thousands of hours of flying time but in reality, only have about a few hundred REAL flying time hours.
Call on Jesus!!!!
@Pete David 😂🎉
@@nexpro6118 I totally agree! I believe that the World War One flying ace, "The Red Baron, " would have been an outstanding pilot in emergency situations flying today's airplanes!🛩️
My favorite airplane shows are the ones where everyone survives! I enjoy the action, drama, pomp and circumstance, but not the death.
"I felt the weight of my 4 bars on my shoulder; I am the captain if I don't do anything everybody will die".
Ooof; if only the captains in some of these disasters were that responsible and proactive.
Hits even harder for the incidents where the captain and crew do everything in their power, but it still ends in a tragedy due to situations outside their control.
Sad, isn’t it.
Situations like these reveal people's character. The good ones offer their best, while the weaker ones get pulled along by the situation
15 years later. Congrats to Captain Peter Burkill and First Officer John Coward for their hardest work for saving lives of 156 people! 🎉 RIP G-YMMM for deeming a total loss after crash landed.
How quickly people judge wrongly and do not think of the consequences on the crew and their family,god bless this crew heroes😢
Very interesting and educational to learn about the ice in the fuel catastrophe! Thanks for the productive video.
Ahhh my favorite airplane disaster stories are the ones where things go wrong but nobody dies
Yeah, that's 180 from Tenerife
@@owensmith3995 Wow, someone in today's world (meaning someone younger, possibly), remembers history🤔?? Yes, STILL the DEADLIEST airline disaster, in history😔.
That's kinda everybody's favorite air disaster story.
Except for a murderous few, of course.
@@owensmith3995 oof, that was a horrific incident.
@EnchantedPencil Comics weird, if you really ponder that.. everybody loves a story like this: plane crashes, no deaths - or - ship sinks, few survive... millions see film umpteen times.
We are a confounding species. SMMFH
The pilots are true heroes, using every skill in their tool box along with the intuition that comes with experience, saved the lives of all on board. Resolution of the problem seemed like mission impossible but unrelenting persistence solved the mystery, uncovering the problem. Both British and American technologies are very much intertwined in building Boeing aircraft, and especially when there seems no answer to be found, a friend in need is a friend indeed.
Gives me confidence in flying again. This is how diligent the aerospace industry when it comes to safety.
Gene Kranz from Apollo 13 once said “Failure is not an option” & as it’s shown here. Excellent airmen-ship.
I've been watching a few of these episodes lately , these pilots and crews are truly amazing in each one.. the quick thinking is amazing
Excellent video and explanation. Thanks for posting.
Whenever I see the pilots speaking at the beginning of these movies I let out a sigh of relief
The pilots are heroes deciding the best on the muddy grass sliding and minimizing fire and disaster on the impact, only in 30 seconds remaining time.🙏🏿
Im so grateful they live🥺🥺 lives cant be replaced- excellent flight crew!
what a hero pilot
I think the one massive downfall with having such technological aircraft, is that it creates an environment that produces more and more less experienced and less proficient manual flying pilots. Which is obviously not great and can cause an aircraft to not be able to make a successful landing when the aircraft could have if an experienced and better flying pilot crew were at the controls. There's some pilots that have thousands of hours of flying time but in reality, only have about a few hundred REAL flying time hours.
Pilot & crew, he said he was thinking of taking the controls back, but the F/O was doing a good job. That fact likely gave the captain the ability to weigh everything out & make a decision… just in the nick of time!💜🙏🏻
Can you imagine the countless nights of waking up and thinking what am I missing, what am I missing... This tenacity of finding the cause is a lesson in never giving up.
the incredible life-or-death decision making that pilot had to make in a matter of seconds, just wow. exactly the person you'd want flying your plane.
And then he is not allowed to talk about the incident for years, no conclusions on what happened, he took the blame, lost his job, couldn’t find another job, etc
Absolutely incredible how that airplane landed almost intact.
The reenactment makes it seem like they had time to figure something out , but in real life it was 30 seconds 😮
My goodness! Such a nice combination of luck and skill. Well-done to the Captain and First Officer. So so glad there were no casualties.
I feel like a terrible person because I love watching these shows. I’m very happy and thankful when it’s a survivable event though.
You're not a terrible person. It's just our human nature.
I watch true crime shows & documentaries all the time.. my husband asked me years ago why do you watch these, they're so gruesome and you're not going to solve the case, because they already caught the killer.
I replied "it's just my curiosity.. at least I'm not taking notes."
Not a terrible person at all. I've got a love for disasters myself just because I'm curious to see how things go wrong, how it was figured out, and how things have changed for the better to prevent this. I can now step in a plane knowing that certain events that brought them down are likely not going to happen to me. Accidents might happen, they always do no matter what, but I can feel confident certain things have been done to ensure things like ice in the fuel won't cause the plane I'm flying in to crash land.
As others have said, this doesn't make you a terrible person. I totally sympathize. My favorite episodes of M:AD are the ones like this, in which all seems lost but a brilliant crew saves the day, and then dedicated investigators do their best to prevent a similar incident in future.
I also like to know what went wrong and what was the solution to prevent it. I just watched a movie that came out on Netflix called "Society of the Snow" and it is about a plane crashing in the Andes Mountains. Now I'm on a mission to learn about planes and what causes them to fail. I fly on planes often, and love documentaries about crime/planes so it makes us curious to learn. I know a lot of people don't like documentaries, but I do.
After hearing so many similar stories (not from this show but from some non-catastrophic incidents of engine failure) from Eastern Europe like the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Poland, and so on, I was thinking "ok... particles in fuel again?" when I first saw this episode.
I’ve seen this before. Scary thing is I’ve flown on one. No turbulence whatsoever.
Fascinating!!!
These engineers were relentless.
9:18 "When we actually stopped, I was surprised that I was still there".
This is exactly what I felt when I was a passenger in a really bad car crash. Said car crash is also why I'm not afraid of flying, because I have first-hand experience of how the alternatives can be more dangerous.
I am in tears finishing this documentary. OMG. Thanks to all of you in the crew and the investigation. Brilliante.
Wow, they nailed the casting on this one
Wow God bless their hearts ❤️ I’m so happy they all made it
I’m surprised the pilots didn’t call the cabin to brace for impact. Still a great job keeping cool.
It's only surprising until you realize they had literally 30 seconds between finding out something went wrong and the crash landing. There were many other things they were thinking about at the time, so it's totally understandable!
aviation priorities "aviate - navigate - communicate" - in that order - besides - the passengers & flight attendants were already buckled in - they just didn't get the "brace" warning
As an American, and i know I’m not the only one who does, or at least used to do this and that was taking pride in BOEING. Now they feel like more and more of a national embarrassment because they prioritized revenue and profits over good engineering and placing safety above everything as their paramount concern and responsibility. They let the MBAs make all of the decisions that the engineers should have been making… I’ve started booking flights to avoid Boeing Aircraft, preferring to fly on Airbus, Embraer & Bombardier aircraft. (Yes, I know Airbus owns 75% of the A220 Program)
Not trying to defend Boeing here, but at least the 777 appears to be less affected by Boeing's recent dodginess than the 737 or 787.
I was the flight nurse on an air evac mission. One patient was on a litter and could not be evacuated. I was the only medical crew member on board. A maintenance crew member was refueling the airplane but forgot to close the wing refueling area. The patient and I were on an aircraft sitting in the middle of a pool of JP4.
So impressed and so happy 🎉to know that after air disasters/accident, everything is done to find answers and make flying safer🙌🏽
I agree! But after watching many, many of these shows, I don’t really care to fly ever again. lol
You and me both! I’m beginning to think that my flying days are over!
@@mj6962 It’s a flying tube with wings. 🪽I like to think I’m in a simulator. I’m not really flying in the air. It’s pretend. I’m not flying over the ocean 🌊 and to another continent. It’s all make believe.😬😶😹
I can’t imagine needing to think and respond that fast to save lives. They are heroes
He certainly made the right flap choice with wheels down.
Good docu, informative👍❗️. Credit to the Flight Staff🙏🏆
Nice piece of flying on the part of the pilots.Not only did they save the passengers but also those who live,commute,and work in the vicinity
Being a master isn't knowing what to do, it's knowing what to do when things go wrong.
I have flown on the 777, and by golly, those planes are huge.
Truly a heroic video with pilots doing a superb job. Very suspenseful...a higher power saved all of them.
Science and training saved them
@@scientistatwork4667 YEAH THAT, TOO!
@Valerie Rodger...okay, we all have our opinions, n that was mine.
It's awesome how the answer that they're so desperately looking for is in the cup of water with ice all along.
The biggest lesson from the pilots calm reaction during this few minutes of terror is how best training, years of experiance and decicsive judgment can make a difference between life and death. The investigators also done a great job and make one crucial discovery which contributes for a safety of our flights today.
BUT after watching the entire documentary miniute by miniute, I still couldn't get an answer for lead question "What makes this Delta and British Airways flights different from thousands of airplanes fliying today?" Was the heat exchanger on this two planes uniquely different from other B777 flying with no problem during the time of accident? The investigators determined after comparing with 1200 different batchs the quality of the fuel was "Very good". If the pipes are cloged with water to a level of starveing the engines, was the fuel quality test wrong? I wish this documentary answers this questions. Great job our own Mayday channel.
They did answer it. The Delta flight was not getting ready to land, so they could back off on the fuel and then ask for it again. The BA flight didn't have the time for that. At least that's what I heard them say y.
B777 have different engine configurations. The Delta and BA planes used the same RR engines.
not sure why there's confusion, because the video said "not all B777 use the same engines as the BA plane" And that the "Delta and BA shared the same engines"
The level of techical knowledge with those engineers is top notch...imagine looking for the culprit for all those months...
I enjoy these informative films so very much! Thank you so very much for posting. Blessings.❤
This Captain is part of an elite group of human beings, not just talented Airline pilots, who are graciously here on earth in the service of the rest of us. Tremendous respect for this man and his crew.
About that air Canada flight, there were people at the abandoned airbase for an event (racing I want to say) and it’s a miracle none were hit.
I just watched that one again. It really is fascinating. At the end, the narrator said that with all the failures on this flight, one failure actually saved lives. The front landing gear collapsed. If it hadn't, it would have taken a lot longer to stop the plane and would have ended in many more injuries and likely some lives lost. It's the Gimli Glider, if you're interested.
And yes, the airstrip had been turned into a drag strip.
This captain is the best. A hero. A superman.
You'd think manufacturers of these parts would test them under the conditions in which they will be used.
People throw around the word, 'hero' too easily. They were doing their jobs, and if they failed, they would die. Not a hero, but a human.
Excellent report. Thank you.
There are lots of lessons to be learned on this channel for everyone. It is tragic but also interesting.
British Airways crew are truly amazing.
“Speedbird Mayday”
Two words that you never want to hear together.
Fascinating - the flight crew was top-notch. I could only imagine the 7 year stress they must had been living in.. ✈️ 🧊🧊⛽️🧊🧊✈️
Boeing really sold out decades ago. Pride in workmanship and Quality is not part of the bottom line, rather profits.
This is one of the more fascinating faults I’ve heard about.
If this pilot hadn't successfully landed the plane so that it was not completely destroy, I doubt they would have cracked the case. Saves many lives beyond those on this plane, no doubt!!
The persistence of the investigators no doubt had big (and great) ramifications for everyone who flew a 777 after that.
Absolutely fascinating and instructive story! The captain and the investigators deserve to be revered forever.
It is bitter what the captain had to suffer because the cause was so difficult to recognize. Because he was able to keep an overview in the most difficult circumstances and save so many lives. That was excellent and he deserves even higher honors. A true hero!
Thank god they found the answer! It has all been worth it!
7:00 That is a sign of a great pilot. His ego is such that he trusts his FO to keep doing the right thing.
That was a really great video! I think they should have gone after the weather icy condition first but they would also have to vet out all the other potential problems as well.
So much educational to watch a team of great pilots decision in preventing so many lives. Salute to the pilots❤
Great story! But enough with the fake dramatic lighting in the meeting rooms, okay?
This isn't Miami Vice.
Best/funniest comment ever…and as an actual huge fan of Miami Vice I howled with laugher at this 😂😆
"I left all my luggage and just got myself down the slide."
There was no invisible force, only an unidentified malfunction.
ONLY a British pilot can say, "It looks like we have double engine failure." as casually as someone would say, "it looks like rain today".
@elskid206 Not only that but;
'do we have a problem' and replies 'Well sort of'
The crew did an excellent job.. The flight crew did a great job..
Finally watched a happy ending documentary of this channel after those catastrophic videos.
An absolute miracle!
it is always a good sign when they interview the pilot for one of these
I’m just a lowly pedestrian, but in the first place, how did water get mixed in with the jet fuel?
What an interesting "movie" with this most extensive airplane crash investigation. It is exciting to watch and wait for the causing factor because one knew all had survived. My level of respect for aviation safety and airplane crew management went through the clouds. These examiners do not stop until they find the culprit which brought their big full airplanes down before due time. Bravo! We must have some of the best crew members in the world. Another wonderful thing about our United States. Deo Gratias.
Very reassuring to see such professionalism in this and other crash investigations. But it does seem that maybe such thorough searching for cause would not be done today in case of pilot's personal systems malfunctioning. What if critical tubes supplying fuel and more to the human computer and steering systems couldn't reach the pump because of restrictions that are not discussed? Causes of which then still are unknown producing unexpected and sudden breakdown? I've seen a few videos on this topic but the reality of the danger doesn't seem to be gaining much traction.
Yes but they should not have let captain take the blame for it while they investigate. Read his book