TOULOUSE, France (Reuters) - Ten people were hurt on Thursday when an Airbus 340-600 plane hit a parapet during an engine test on the ground at an airport in southern France, a spokesman for planemaker Airbus said.
“There were nine people on board. Ten people were injured in the accident, one of them on the ground,” the Airbus spokesman said, adding three people had been seriously hurt but their lives were not in danger.
The plane had been destined for Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways. The cause of the accident at the airport near the city of Toulouse was unknown.
As an engineer, I find that offensive. Why couldn’t it have been maintenance mechanics? Or sanitation engineers, or flight attendants, or test pilots, or, oompa loompas?
I think they were using the term engineer to describe mechanics/techs. That’s the way it’s done overseas, and in some cases here in the states…
Sanitation Engineer anyone?
I did read a news report stating the aircraft had completed the engine run up tests, and was taxing back to apron. It was also scheduled for delivery next week.
Here it is; From the Accident Information Telex issued yesterday:
AIRBUS REGRETS TO INFORM THAT AN AIRBUS A340-600 PRODUCTION AIRCRAFT WAS INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT DURING GROUND TEST ON NOVEMBER 15TH.
THE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE IN AIRBUS PRODUCTION FACILITIES IN TOULOUSE THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT, REGISTRATION NUMBER F-WWCJ BEARING MSN 856 HAD COMPLETED FINAL ENGINE RUN AND WAS EXITING THE ENGINE RUN ZONE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.
THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A CONTAINMENT WALL AND HAS BEEN SEVERELY
DAMAGED.
ACCORDING TO AVAILABLE INFORMATION, THERE WERE NINE PERSONS ON BOARD FROM WHICH FIVE SUSTAINED INJURIES. THERE WERE NO FATALITIES.
Wonder if they caught the accident on a CCTV security camera???
“I think they were using the term engineer to describe mechanics/techs. That’s the way it’s done overseas, and in some cases here in the states…
Sanitation Engineer anyone?”
No it is not correct. Ing. before your name is an academic title back in Europe and is included on all documents including a passport. Dipl.-Ing. in all correspondence stresses the fact that a bearer of the title is considered to be an engineer by attending a technical university, defending his diploma thesis and succesfully graduating. Under no circumstances is a mechanic or a technician called an engineer in Europe. Dipl. Ing Willy Messerschmitt or Dipl. Ing Von Braun would definitely take offence in hearing that engineers destroyed instead of designed and built an aircraft. But this is a stiff collar Europe. A guy driving a train in the US is called an engineer. I even read that FW-190 was “overengineered” instead of simply being “the Best”. An aircraft designed by yet another Dipl. Ing Kurt Tank. Well, one can feel a little bit of sarcasm here. So I think that apjpe is probably correct. We are not sure if the crew members destroying the Airbus were all graduates with diplomas in their pockets, but it adds some spice to the story to imagine that they were! But it was in France, wasn’t it?
FROM : AIRBUS FLIGHT SAFETY DEPARTMENT TOULOUSE
SUBJECT: A340-600 - MSN 856 - ACCIDENT IN PRODUCTION OUR REF.: F-WWCJ AIT 2 DATED 20th OF NOVEMBER 2007 PREVIOUS REF: F-WWCJ AIT 1 DATED 16th OF NOVEMBER 2007
THIS AIT IS AN UPDATE OF PREVIOUS AIT N1 CONCERNING THE A340-600 PRODUCTION AIRCRAFT MSN 856 INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN AIRBUS PRODUCTION FACILITIES IN TOULOUSE ON THE 15TH NOVEMBER 2007 AT 17:00 LOCAL TIME.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS ACCORDING TO THE RECORDERS, WHICH HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR RELEASE BY THE FRENCH INVESTIGATION AUTHORITIES (BEA).
FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES BEFORE THE END OF THE EVENT, ALL FOUR ENGINES EPR WAS BETWEEN 1.24 AND 1.26 WITH PARKING BRAKE ON AND WITHOUT GROUND CHOCKS.
THE ALTERNATE BRAKE PRESSURE WAS NORMAL. (WITH PARKING BRAKE ON, BRAKE PRESSURE IS SUPPLIED BY ALTERNATE).
13 SECONDS BEFORE THE IMPACT THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO MOVE. WITHIN 1 OR 2 SECONDS THE CREW APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL INPUTS AND SELECTED PARKING BRAKE OFF. THESE ACTIONS LED THE NORMAL BRAKE PRESSURE TO INCREASE TO ITS NORMAL VALUE.
2 SECONDS PRIOR BEFORE THE IMPACT, ALL 4 ENGINE THRUST LEVERS WERE SELECTED TO IDLE.
THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE CONTAINMENT WALL AT A GROUND SPEED OF 30 KTS.
THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY AIRCRAFT SYSTEM OR ENGINE MALFUNCTION.
AIRBUS REMINDS ALL OPERATORS TO STRICTLY ADHERE TO AMM PROCEDURES WHEN PERFORMING ENGINE GROUND RUNS
ENGINE GROUND RUNS AT HIGH POWER ARE NORMALLY CONDUCTED ON A SINGLE ENGINE WITH THE ENGINE IN THE SAME POSITION ON THE OPPOSITE WING OPERATED AT A LIMITED THRUST SETTING TO AVOID DAMAGE TO THE AIFRAME
WHEEL CHOCKS ARE TO BE INSTALLED THROUGHOUT THE TEST.
YANNICK MALINGE
VICE PRESIDENT FLIGHT SAFETY
AIRBUS
… 
