Jumbo jet strikes building at Johannesburg airport, no injuries

[News_Editor]

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (BNO NEWS) -- The wing of a British Airlines jetliner struck a building Sunday night while taxiing at the international airport in the South African city of Johannesburg, passengers and airline officials said on Monday, but there were no reports of injuries.

The incident happened just before 11 p.m. local time on Sunday when British Airways flight 34 was about to take off from O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on a nearly 11-hour-flight flight to London. Footage from the scene showed the right wing of the Boeing 747 sliced itself through a portion of a brick building right next to the taxiway.

"Just taxiing along and boom. ... Took about 20 meters (65.6 feet) off [the] top story [of the] building with [its] wing," passenger John Hart wrote on the social networking website Twitter. Both he and Harriet Tolputt, a spokeswoman for international aid agency Oxfam, posted photos of the incident.

British Airways confirmed one of its jumbo jets was damaged while taxiing in Johannesburg and added that none of the 182 passengers on board the aircraft were injured. "Customers were looked after by our staff and provided with hotel accommodation and we are arranging alternative flights for them," an airline spokeswoman said.

Tolputt, however, criticized the evacuation procedure and told NBC News that passengers waited an hour for crews to put foam on a fuel leak, adding that some passengers were shaken and in tears. "Not impressed that first class passengers get off before premium economy during an emergency," she added on her Twitter account.

British Airways did not immediately provide more information about Sunday's incident, but the airline spokeswoman added: "We have launched a full investigation into the incident and are giving our assistance to the independent South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) with the matter."

(Copyright 2013 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: [email protected].)

[Chicog]

Ooops someone's not getting his Xmas bonus this year....

[Chicog]

Good lord the snobbery of people just because they've bought "premium economy":

Harriet Tolputt, the head of media for Oxfam, was on the flight when the collision occured. She wrote on Twitter: “BA plane crashes into building at J Burg airport. No one injured only the pilot’s pride. Not impressed that first class passengers get off before premium economy during an emergency.”

It's still Cattle Class love!

[Mosha]

Would that not be the controllers fault? AFAIK they tell the pilot the route to the runway/gate.

[noikrit]

LOL .... perhaps he should use Valet parking next time ... ................. Glad there was no Injuries !!!!

[Chicog]

Would that not be the controllers fault? AFAIK they tell the pilot the route to the runway/gate.

That's assuming he followed their instructions. Maybe he got lost.

Added: It would seem he missed his turn off.

Edited December 23, 2013 by Chicog

[Chicog]

[Credo]

Perhaps he thought he was in Thailand and was trying to back into a parking space.

[JoeThePoster]

Gotta wonder about the quality of those SA buildings.

[Chicog]

[Chicog]

[Suradit69]

Would that not be the controllers fault? AFAIK they tell the pilot the route to the runway/gate.

Gotta wonder about the quality of those SA buildings.

Of course, it's the fault of the controller and the buildings. A British pilot couldn't possibly be to blame. The farang-mentality of blame shifting and saving face arrives in South Africa courtesy of Thai Visa.

[brommers]

Gotta wonder about the quality of those SA buildings.

What a facile comment. That brick building has been there for decades and is a well built as in any so called first world country. No building could withstand the impact and cutting force of that wing which acted as a giant blade. Those planes are built to last.

The bizarre thing is how the plane got so close when it was on a normal taxi-way. At this time it is under the control of the pilot and must have been seriously off line. That flight deck will have some serious questions to answer. As for the plane, it needs a major repair job and luckily it can be done in Jo' burg but will not be an overnight patch-up before it can return to the UK.

I note that the excitable lady in premium economy was treated as she should have been in an non emergency deplaning. She has nothing to complain about, it was not an emergency evacuation. Perhaps it was her first flight and she did not understand that in such circumstances anyone who turns right on boarding waits until those who turn left have been allowed to leave first.

I hope that all the delayed pax are able to reach their destinations in time for their vacations or business.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[JoeThePoster]

Would that not be the controllers fault? AFAIK they tell the pilot the route to the runway/gate.

Gotta wonder about the quality of those SA buildings.

Of course, it's the fault of the controller and the buildings. A British pilot couldn't possibly be to blame. The farang-mentality of blame shifting and saving face arrives in South Africa courtesy of Thai Visa.

It's possible the pilot was Thai. They're the best.

[lostmebike]

Would that not be the controllers fault? AFAIK they tell the pilot the route to the runway/gate.

Gotta wonder about the quality of those SA buildings.

Of course, it's the fault of the controller and the buildings. A British pilot couldn't possibly be to blame. The farang-mentality of blame shifting and saving face arrives in South Africa courtesy of Thai Visa.

Feeling the love today Suradit!

How do you keep it up old up boy?

[bra]

From reporting in aviation safety newsletters, the aircraft missed the normal left turn through about 45 degrees on to the taxiway leading to the runway for departure. Instead it continued straight ahead on to a narrow taxiway obviously too close the building for a B747-400. The reasons will be established by investigations of the South Africa, UK and BA safety organisations, so no jumping to conclusions yet please.

The aircraft has a high number of flying hours and is one of the oldest in the BA B747 fleet. Nothing to do with the cause of the incident, but BA or their insurers may decide to write it off rather than a very expensive repair.

The Oxfarm lady who complained about being in premium economy and not getting off first, may well have to explain to those who support this charity by donations what she was doing there in the first place and not just in economy. There was no emergency evacuation required - just walking down portable stairs on to waiting busses.

[klauskunkel]

eggnog??!

[Costas2008]

Did BA, black out the Logo?

[Ulic]

Good lord the snobbery of people just because they've bought "premium economy":

Harriet Tolputt, the head of media for Oxfam, was on the flight when the collision occured. She wrote on Twitter: “BA plane crashes into building at J Burg airport. No one injured only the pilot’s pride. Not impressed that first class passengers get off before premium economy during an emergency.”

It's still Cattle Class love!

Honey, it's OK premium economy got off before regular economy in this "emergency" evacuation.

Edited December 23, 2013 by Ulic

[laobali]

The First Officer, usually in the right hand seat, obviously wasn't keeping a very good lookout; or maybe he didn't like his Captain!

[Chicog]

The Daily Mail comments are classic. Some bloke insists that they overreacted and could easily have flown home with the little damage there was.

[chiang mai]

[lostinsurin]

From reporting in aviation safety newsletters, the aircraft missed the normal left turn through about 45 degrees on to the taxiway leading to the runway for departure. Instead it continued straight ahead on to a narrow taxiway obviously too close the building for a B747-400. The reasons will be established by investigations of the South Africa, UK and BA safety organisations, so no jumping to conclusions yet please.

The aircraft has a high number of flying hours and is one of the oldest in the BA B747 fleet. Nothing to do with the cause of the incident, but BA or their insurers may decide to write it off rather than a very expensive repair.

The Oxfarm lady who complained about being in premium economy and not getting off first, may well have to explain to those who support this charity by donations what she was doing there in the first place and not just in economy. There was no emergency evacuation required - just walking down portable stairs on to waiting busses.

Dear Mr Good, (Swedish or Scandi I presume)

she was not complaining about not getting off first, she was complaining that first class had the privilege, and as there was probably a fuel spill I can understand wanting to get off, without class privilege coming into the equation.

with regards the chap who said the Brits were trying to blame the Africans, we all recognize that Africa is a well developed modern continent since the British left.

[shrimpythailand]

looks like the wing cut right thru the second floor at floor level... amazingly strong metal anyway... not like the plane that supposedly hit the pentagon and vaporized... 5 5 5 " ah Tower - it looks like the runway is a little too narrow over here"

[falangadang]

""Not impressed that first class passengers get off before premium economy during an emergency," she added on her Twitter account."

Well,... unless it was an emergency in which the emergency exit doors and shutes were used then it makes sense that the 1st class passenger get off first as their closest to the front exits!

[bangon04]

Perhaps he thought he was in Thailand and was trying to back into a parking space.

If it was in Thailand his first job would have been to get the black paint out.

It would be nice if the Thai Airways 747s could meet with an accident expensive enough to write them off while being taxied empty around the airport.

[mrdome]

"Not impressed that first class passengers get off before premium economy during an emergency,"

a. If they are using stairs, passengers won't have much choice. In case of en emergency evac, it's whoever's first at the slide.

b. I bet economy isn't thrilled either that premium economy gets off before them.

[jacko45k]

Would that not be the controllers fault? AFAIK they tell the pilot the route to the runway/gate.

I was thinking that they painted lines on the taxiways to keep the pilot in the right area.

I think I just heard another report of a BA Jumbo having a fire in a galley mid-flight. BA used to have a good record and now we seem to be hearing quite a few 'incidents' lately, a belt needs tightening some-place before it is a big incident!

"Not impressed that first class passengers get off before premium economy during an emergency,"

They don't pay 5x what you did just for the Blue Label dear!

[Sayonarax]

Gotta wonder about the quality of those SA buildings.

Im trying to the find the facepalm icon...

[notbkk]

BRA is the only person that talks sense. I was a cabin attendant based at that airport for 32 years and think I know the layout fairly well. Here is a quote from a report by NEWS24.COM:

[The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) confirmed the incident and SACAA spokesperson, Phindiwe Gwebu said the preliminary report indicates the aircraft used the wrong taxiway.

"The BA 747-400 aircraft was cleared for takeoff on Runway 03L. The SACAA confirmed that the air crew got instructions from the Air Traffic Control to taxi using taxiway B," Gwebu said.

"The crew continued onto taxi way M which is narrower resulting in the aircraft impacting on an office building behind the SAA Technical hangers.

Four officials who were in the building were injured by the debris from the building. The 17 Crew and 185 passengers who were in the aircraft escaped unharmed and were evacuated from the aircraft through door no. 5."

The report also indicated fuel spillage from the aircraft but this was contained by the airport fire services without further incidents.]

Now if door 5 (last doors at the back) were used for a precautionary evacuation (stairs, not chutes , how on earth did the first class passengers get off first? Impossible! I assumed they must have used both doors 1 and 5 left. The Oxfam lady was obviously seated in the forward middle section of the aircraft not realising that the back door was also used.

Edited December 24, 2013 by notbkk