Incident: British Airways A319 near London on May 24th 2013, problems with both engines, doors on both engines missing
By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, May 24th 2013 11:47Z, last updated Friday, May 24th 2013 15:28Z
A British Airways Airbus A319-100, registration G-EUOE performing flight BA-762 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Oslo (Norway) with 75 passengers and 5 crew, was climbing out of Heathrow's runway 27L when a loud bang from the left hand engine was heard and the left hand engine's (V2522) cowling doors went missing. The crew levelled off at 6000 feet reassuring passengers. While positioning for a return to Heathrow another loud bang was heard, this time from the right hand engine, and the right hand engine's cowling doors went missing, and the right hand engine was trailing smoke. The aircraft landed safely on Heathrow's runway 27R about 26 minutes after departure, stopped on the runway and was evacuated via slides while emergency services doused the right hand engine and extinguished the engine fire. No injuries occurred.
Both runways were closed to accommodate the emergency, runway 09R/27L re-opened shortly after the landing. Runway 09L/27R reopened after the aircraft had been towed to the apron about 2 hours after landing.
Pictorial evidence shows the left hand engine doors went missing in flight, both engines' cowling doors were missing in photos after landing.
The airline confirmed the aircraft returned to Heathrow due to a technical fault, the aircraft was evacuated via slides after landing.
The airport reported emergency services were assisting an aircraft with a fire.
The United Kingdom's Air Accident Investigation Board AAIB have opened an investigation and dispatched a team of investigators on site.
The aircraft seen from the ground (Photo: APA/Rex Features):
http://avherald.com/h?article=462beb5e&opt=0