A Boeing 737 took off from Bristol Airport with just three seconds of runway remaining after a technical glitch, a report has revealed.
The airliner, carrying 163 passengers and crew, cleared the end of the airport’s runway with just over three seconds to spare, an Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) report said.
The 15-year-old Boeing took off with just 260 metres (853 feet) of runway in front of it, much less room than usual.
The jet was slower than it should have been while taking off because of a fault with its autothrottle, investigators said.
“Neither pilot noticed that the thrust was set incorrectly, and it was not picked up through the standard operating procedures,” warned the AAIB in a special bulletin to airlines.
The plane cleared the end of the runway at a height of just 10 feet, instead of the normal 50 feet.
The Tui flight then passed over the nearby A38 main road, which borders Bristol Airport, at less than 100 feet.
Nobody injured
Nobody on board or on the ground was injured in the incident, which AAIB investigators described as “serious”. They later publishing a special warning to airlines about using the Boeing 737-800’s autothrottle.
Autothrottle controls the aeroplane’s speed, and is closely related to – but not part of – the autopilot, which controls which direction the aircraft flies in.
Boeing told the AAIB that the autothrottle system fitted to the 737-800 had “a long history of nuisance disconnects during takeoff mode engagements”.
“Usually, subsequent functionality checks on the system find no faults,” the aircraft manufacturer said.
Autothrottle fault
The fault lay with a motor in the autothrottle unit. The one fitted to the Tui aeroplane was an earlier model, since replaced with a more reliable version.
A Tui spokesperson said: “We have worked closely with the authorities to provide all available information.
“The AAIB recommendations and learnings resulting from this take-off will support the whole aviation sector and other airlines.
“The safety of our passengers and crew is always our highest priority.”
Boeing was contacted for comment.
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