Co-pilot mixed up left and right, causing Gatwick plane fire

A fire on a British Airways Boeing 777 at Gatwick Airport last June was caused by a co-pilot mixing up his left and right hands during take-off, according to a report by the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).

The incident happened last June when the plane’s brakes overheated on the runway, with 334 passengers and 13 crew members on board. Though no injuries were reported, the runway closure lasted 50 minutes and led to 23 flight cancellations at the UK’s second busiest airport.

The AAIB report found that the co-pilot unintentionally pulled back the thrust lever with his left hand—reducing engine power—when he should have been preparing to pull back the control column with his right. Realizing the error, he aborted the take-off and brought the plane to a stop well before the end of the runway.

The brakes subsequently overheated, causing a fire. The co-pilot later expressed surprise and was unable to explain the mistake, noting he was well-rested and felt fine at the time. British Airways said in a statement that safety is its highest priority, and the pilots brought the aircraft to a safe stop. The airline apologized to affected passengers and said its teams worked quickly to assist them.

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