A340 crashed into barrier during engine tests

[codash1099]

From Flight Global

Toulouse accident occurred as Airbus A340 was exiting engine test-pen
By David Kaminski-Morrow


Airbus has told Etihad Airways that the A340-600 wrecked at Toulouse during pre-delivery checks had completed its engine test-runs and was exiting the test area at the time of the accident.
Etihad Airways had been due to take delivery of the A340 on 21 November. Five of the nine personnel on board the Rolls-Royce Trent 500-powered jet were injured when it struck the wall of the engine-test pen, destroying the forward fuselage.
A spokesman for Etihad confirms that the aircraft has been written off.

 

[NM]

I'm not an insurance man, but I'm confidently calling "write-off" on that one!

Maybe they could ask Qantas to repair it instead of writing it off .

 

[v8Statesman]

Maybe they could ask Qantas to repair it instead of writing it off .

I think the stationary store is out of staples.

 

[maninblack]

Maybe they could ask Qantas to repair it instead of writing it off .

Finally you are agreeing with me that Qantas should get the A340

 

[serfty]

Yes, I believe the Qantas maintenance warehouses in Australia have used them all up.

 

[Reggie]

Yes, I believe the Qantas maintenance warehouses in Australia have used them all up.

Could just send it to Singapore they apparently do a cheaper job.

 

[serfty]

Just in case the point was missed - the staple job was performed in Oz, by Australian Staff.

The union beat a hasty retreat on this one - and there's been little or nothing from TT.

Crikey - Home truths about those Qantas staples - Home truths about those Qantas staples

It was shoddy work by an Australian worker in a Qantas hangar ...

 

[NM]

Finally you are agreeing with me that Qantas should get the A340

not that one, please. Airbus can keep that one for the museum of how not to perform engine tests!

 

[codash1099]

More from Flight Global:

Wrecked A340 was unchocked, with engines at high thrust: investigators

 

[International Lady]

Along with all the air show incidents and accidents, it's just another reminder of why it's nickname is 'scarebus'!

If it's not Boeing, I'm not going!!

My pilot friends liken it to a Hyundai, cheap to buy, reliable, economical to run, but at the end of the day, it's still a Hyundai!!

 

[simongr]

I guess it must simply be due to higher numbers of aircraft in service but Boeing appears to have many more accidents than Airbus:

Airfleets >> Crash statistics : accidents by plane

With considerably more fatalities

Airfleets >> Crash statistics : fatalities by plane

Obviously I can not vouch for the reliability of the statistics I just googled nor am I affiliated to either Boeing or Airbus.

 

[International Lady]

Yes, more flights, more aircraft and been around a lot longer than Airbus. I note in the link that they include 9/11 planes - hardly strong statistical information in terms of safety! A lot of the other countries involved in the crashes/incidents are 3rd world!

No more crash talk from me - I'm flying out Friday!

 

[NM]

Yes, more flights, more aircraft and been around a lot longer than Airbus. I note in the link that they include 9/11 planes - hardly strong statistical information in terms of safety! A lot of the other countries involved in the crashes/incidents are 3rd world!

No more crash talk from me - I'm flying out Friday!

And given that most accidents involving aircraft are generally not a direct result or fault of the aircraft itself, the stats are not really relevant.

Could fatal incidents like Pan Am's 744 over Lockerbie be attributed to the Boeing 747 aircraft? Likewise the KLM/Pan Am disaster at Teneriife was not an aircraft failure.

Though it is interesting to compare the number of hull losses of A330/340 family with that of the Boeing 777 family. I just caution not to assume one type is safer than another based on such statistics.

 

[ozmerish]

With that much of the nose over the fence - will they salvage any of the F & J seats / interior fitout? I would assume it was all ready to go since delivery was not far off. Do interior components have a similar testing / certification process to airframe parts?

I saw the Ethiad billboard at BNE and thought their J didnt look too bad

 

[straitman]

And given that most accidents involving aircraft are generally not a direct result or fault of the aircraft itself, the stats are not really relevant.

Could fatal incidents like Pan Am's 744 over Lockerbie be attributed to the Boeing 747 aircraft? Likewise the KLM/Pan Am disaster at Teneriife was not an aircraft failure.

Though it is interesting to compare the number of hull losses of A330/340 family with that of the Boeing 777 family. I just caution not to assume one type is safer than another based on such statistics.

I'm going to leave this one alone as I could drive you all insane with statistics and facts and figures.

... and you don't want 80 or so pages anyway.:shock:

 

[NM]

I'm going to leave this one alone as I could drive you all insane with statistics and facts and figures.

... and you don't want 80 or so pages anyway.:shock:

We can save that for the AGM in Feb .

 

[milocole]

Well, If they are going to throw the plane away, ill certiantly take it, Lol ,
That picture of it just dosn't look right

Once again "Thats gotta hurt", poor A340

 

[dot]

Some coverage of the accident report from Flight Intl.

Violation of test procedures led to Toulouse A340-600 crash

Investigators have determined that an Airbus A340-600 collided with a test-pen wall in Toulouse after it was powered up while unchocked, and an attempt to steer the aircraft out of danger reduced the effect of the brakes.


The test crew failed to reduce the engine thrust as the jet surged forward, attempting instead to stop the aircraft by pressing the brake pedals and turning the nose-wheel sharply to the right. It smashed into the pen wall, seriously injuring four of the nine people on board.

(continues)

 

[Flying Fox]

Excellent detail in the report.

It was interesting that they make specific note that -

At the time of the accident an Airbus employee was occupying the right-hand seat of the jet while an Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies technician was in the left-hand seat.

So I wonder who's insurance company gets the bill for a written off aircraft?

 

[straitman]

Excellent detail in the report.

It was interesting that they make specific note that -

At the time of the accident an Airbus employee was occupying the right-hand seat of the jet while an Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies technician was in the left-hand seat.

So I wonder who's insurance company gets the bill for a written off aircraft?

It's much more important to establish who was in charge at the time of the incident. Who was sitting or standing where is really immaterial :!: