Description

On 9 June 2021, an Airbus A320 (G-EUUO) being operated by British Airways on a scheduled domestic passenger flight from London Heathrow to Manchester as BA1386 made a high speed rejected takeoff on runway 27R in normal day visibility because of a significant difference in the two pilots’ primary airspeed indications. After coming to a stop with plenty of runway ahead, the aircraft was taxied back to the terminal.

Investigation

After a third Heathrow event involving a departing British Airways aircraft experiencing faults in the display of air speed information had occurred in the space of two days, a low speed rejected takeoff by a Boeing 777-200 which had been parked prior to flight at a different location to the first two, the operator determined that immediate reporting action to the UK AAIB was appropriate and quarantined the aircraft. The AAIB immediately attended and commenced a Field Investigation into all three events. During this, two other related events which subsequently occurred at the airport were added to the initial three. Only the first event involved a high speed rejected takeoff with one other, a British Airways Boeing 777-200  (G-YMMR) making a low speed rejected takeoff and the other, involving a British Airways Airbus A320neo (G-TTNH) which occurred during engine start/pushback. Two subsequent in-flight events in which related pitot/static system anomalies occurred were also included in the Investigation. These involved a British Airways Boeing 787-9 (G-ZBKJ) and a Virgin Atlantic Airways Airbus A330-300 (G-VKSS).