British safety officials have issued recommendations for flight-data recorders (FDRs) to record engine fuel-metering information and for reviews of landing-gear failure requirements and Boeing 777 data buffering. Accident investigators call for the action among nine safety recommendations in the final report of the Jan. 17, 2008, British Airways Boeing 777-236ER accident at London Heathrow Airport, which was released on Tuesday.
Following a 10.5-hour flight from Beijing, the 777 (flying as British Airways Flight 38) lost power on its final approach to Heathrow, as both engines suffered an uncommanded “rollback” (or power reduction) at 720 feet an8d the airliner subsequently made a forced landing about 1,100 feet short of the runway. Ice in the fuel system had restricted fuel flow to the Rolls-Royce Trent 800 engines, according to the UK Department for Transport Aircraft Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).
