A British Airways flight was forced to abort take-off at high speed after a pilot mistakenly pulled the wrong lever, triggering a fire on the runway at Gatwick Airport.
The incident took place on 28 June last year, when a Boeing 777 bound for Vancouver was accelerating down the runway.
The co-pilot, who had recently returned from a two-week break, accidentally pulled back the left-hand throttle instead of the right, causing a sudden loss of engine thrust.
As a result, the aircraft’s brakes overheated, sparking a fire on the right-side main landing gear. The pilots had to perform an emergency stop at nearly 190mph, prompting a swift response from airport fire crews who extinguished the flames.
None of the 334 passengers or 13 crew members onboard were injured, but the dramatic event caused significant disruption. Gatwick Airport was temporarily closed, with dozens of flights delayed, cancelled, or diverted.
According to a report released by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), the experienced co-pilot was unable to explain why he made the error. He reportedly felt well-rested and alert on the day.
The AAIB noted that the pilot had intended to keep his left hand on the throttle and use his right hand to control the column during take-off. However, he unintentionally reduced engine power at a critical moment, just as the captain called for lift-off.
Investigators concluded that there was no clear reason for the mix-up, and the co-pilot himself was surprised by the mistake.
In the immediate aftermath, a spokesperson for Gatwick Airport said the aircraft had been halted due to overheated brakes, and confirmed that the airport’s fire service responded swiftly to the incident.
British Airways also issued a statement, saying, “Our pilots took the precautionary decision to cancel take-off due to a technical issue.
“Safety is always our top priority and we apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused.”
The runway was later reopened and operations returned to normal.
