BAW B772 at London on Jun 28th 2024, rejected takeoff

Last Update: May 8, 2025 / 20:55:53 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of British Airways G-VIIT, Boeing 777-200 — British Airways G-VIIT, Boeing 777-200 (Photo credit: Global_5000 / Flickr / License: CC by-nd)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jun 28, 2024

Classification
Incident

Cause
Rejected takeoff

Airline
British Airways

Flight number
BA-2279

Departure
London Gatwick, United Kingdom

Destination
Vancouver, Canada

Aircraft Registration
G-VIIT

Aircraft Type
Boeing 777-200

ICAO Type Designator
B772

A BAW British Airways Boeing 777-200, registration G-VIIT performing flight BA-2279 from London Gatwick,EN (UK) to Vancouver,BC (Canada) with 334 passengers and 13 crew, was accelerating for takeoff from Gatwick's runway 26L when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed (about 140 knots over ground). The aircraft slowed safely and stopped on the runway about 2620 meters/8600 feet down the runway. Emergency services responded and cooled the brakes of the aircraft.

The aircraft vacated the runway about 40 minutes later.

The airport reported their only available runway needed to be closed for about 50 minutes due to the occurrence.

A passenger reported the crew told them there had been a problem on the flight deck.

On May 8th 2025 the AAIB released their final bulletin concluding the probable cause of the serious incident was:

By way of an action slip, the co-pilot began retarding the thrust levers at airspeed V1. He instinctively advanced them again, then initiated the RTO procedure around 2 KIAS later. The RTO was performed effectively and, in benign performance conditions, the aircraft stopped some distance before the end of the runway surface.

The AAIB analysed:

The RTO

The V1 callout was a normal prompt for the co-pilot to move his left hand during the takeoff roll, while preparing to pull back on the control column with his right hand. However, he unintentionally pulled his left hand back instead. The resulting ‘action sequence’ resembled the RTO or landing manoeuvres, rather than a normal takeoff. There was no obvious reason for him being primed to do that – for example, he had not recently changed aircraft seat or type, or practiced landings or RTOs in a simulator – and he could not identify a reason for it on the day.

Any decision to stop an aircraft should be made by V1, such that it is already stopping at V1. The co-pilot first retarded the thrust levers at V1. While the subsequent, instinctive, re-application of thrust would impede the aircraft’s stopping performance, after a moment’s conscious thought, he committed to the RTO procedure, fully retarding the thrust levers at around 2 KIAS above V1. The aircraft’s inertia meant its airspeed rose by another 5 KIAS before, in the somewhat benign performance conditions, it stopped some distance before the end of the runway surface. The crew performed the RTO and subsequent actions calmly and effectively.

The co-pilot identified that an alternative response to the action slip might have been to continue taking off using toga thrust. Performance calculations allow for taking off with one engine having failed after V1. Both engines were operating during this event, but the investigation did not determine alternative outcomes.

Control selections and mental rehearsal

This incident alludes to the ongoing challenge for operators and crew in attending to control selections. This operator had already promulgated a staged method to its crew which, although written for other mis-selections, could encourage more deliberate motor actions. It has promoted the subject in training and briefing material.

The incident emphasises the complex nature of the takeoff roll. Pilots perform a series of motor actions during a normal takeoff, while also mentally preparing themselves to decide upon and enact different action sequences for an RTO. As well as relevant multi-crew and emergency briefings, pilots can improve their individual performance by mentally rehearsing what might seem like routine parts of an operation, especially after time away from flying.