The plane was badly damaged, and stopped yard from the M11 motorway, but everyone on board survived and Hackett was praised for defying protocol. Moody says a strong grounding in airmanship skills he and the crew had gained over the years through experience and by watching others helped them survive the ordeal. SIMON: So when did you find out that it was - you'd run into a volcano? It worked, but meant the aircraft looked certain to miss the runway. Reflecting on the chilling events of that flight 28 years later, Capt Moody, who lives in Camberley in Surrey, shows the sort of understatement characteristic of those in his profession. Part of the floor at the rear gave way, severing a control cable and disabling an engine. We have a small problem. The aircraft was taken out of service in February 2004; in 2009, the then 30-year-old aircraft was scrapped. Shortly before touchdown, "his prosthetic limb became detached from the yoke clamp, depriving him of control of the aircraft," said an Air Accidents Investigation Branch report. During the struggle, the plane was forced into a roll just before impact with the water, causing the craft to break into three pieces. In 1996, a hijacked Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed into the ocean near the Comoros Islands after running out of fuel. He strongly believes pilots should learn to think beyond the process of following checklists and procedures by rote. That pleased me more than anything. The overnight cases like Marie Antoinettes are harder to explain. MOODY: Well, it was sheer bloody-mindedness and persistence. Our first thoughts were it was a bomb.". The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. Hackett took the unorthodox decision to immediately re-land at Stansted rather than climb away and touch down later. New York, New York, United States. The process behind this is not well understood. Because the ash cloud was dry, it did not appear on the weather radar, which was designed to detect the moisture in clouds. The sky was clear and the crew were happy because they had some extra Malaysian satay that night. After being assessed for post-traumatic stress disorder, Burkill returned to the cockpit five months later. "We were heading straight for the buildings around Hatton Cross Tube station," Burkill recalled. So Fred developed this but he couldn't find anybody to put it into production. The loss of power caused the plane's speed to drop alarmingly. Capt Moody was piloting a 263-seater British Airways Boeing 747 flight from London to Auckland in June 1982 when he ran into an ash plume erupting from Mount Galunggung in Java, Indonesia. I am old enough to remember this incident, but I had forgotten something important about it: What the plane's captain said to the passengers the moment after the engines failed. These are good stories, but are they scientifically possible? New York, New York, United States. The plane headed back to Jakarta where it landed safely, though even then one of the engines had failed again. One of the passengers, Betty Tootell, wrote a book about the incident, All Four Engines Have Failed. SIMON: I mean, the engines were choking with volcanic ash, right? We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. The cloud sandblasted the windscreen and landing light covers and clogged the engines. She was given steroids, which treated the hair loss successfully, but within a few weeks all her hair had turned white, even though she had not had a frightening experience and had stopped losing her hair. WebIm Captain Eric Moody, a native of coastal Georgia and a full time resident of Jekyll Island for over 25 years with 16 of those years has been spent as a fishing guide. As the ash entered the engines, it melted in the combustion chambers and adhered to the inside of the power-plant. With nerves of steel, the captain, Eric Moody, miraculously landed the plane. We are doing our damnedest to get them going again. After being ferried back to London, engine number four was replaced and major work was undertaken to return the aircraft to service. Up in the cockpit, Moody and his team were working overtime. In September 2009 the environmental group 10:10 bought the fuselage of City Of Edinburgh to be made into tags. Captain Eric Moody was later praised for a cabin announcement that was described as "a masterpiece of understatement.". Last year, a study from a research group led by no less than one of this years recipients of the Nobel prize in Chemistry, Robert Lefkowitz, offered some clues. On 24 June 1982, the route was flown by the City of Edinburgh, a 747-236B. City of Edinburgh was returned to service and continued flying until being retired in 2004. WebCaptain Moody served with British Airways for 32 years, retiring in 1996 with over 17,000 flight hours. Post-flight investigation revealed that City of Edinburgh's problems had been caused by flying through a cloud of volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Galunggung. Capt Moody was piloting a 263-seater British Airways Boeing 747 flight from London to Auckland in June 1982 when he ran into an ash plume erupting from Mount Galunggung in Java, Indonesia. But he took voluntary redundancy in August 2009 and criticised BA over its handling of the incident, claiming he had been "hung out to dry". It was the first officer, co-pilot, it was - and the flight engineer. There's no airborne ash detector that's marketed. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. So a severe shock could trigger hair loss, but with only the coloured hairs falling out, leaving someone who already has some grey with a whole head of white hair. The captain, Eric Moody, tried to reassure passengers with the following statement: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. They'd stopped back up at 37,000 feet. There are times, he tells Flight Safety Australia, that pilots need to work outside the rules and this was one of them. A China Eastern Airlines pilot was labelled a hero in 2016, and presented with a cash reward, after his quick thinking avoided a runway collision that could have killed up to 439 people. We are doing our damnedest to get them going again. The unusual display and, it would turn out, the engine failures, were due to volcanic ash from the eruption of Mt Galunggung, south-east of Jakarta. And here's Wikipedia's description of the incident: British Airways Flight 9, sometimes referred to by its callsign Speedbird 9 or Jakarta incident,[1] was a scheduled British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Auckland, with stops in Bombay, Madras, Kuala Lumpur, Perth, and Melbourne. Nevertheless, he was back at work in less than five months. He then called out how high they should be at each DME step along the final approach to the runway, creating a virtual glide slope for them to follow. MOODY: But when the oxygen masks came down, it was just a reminder that we had some passengers on board and I had to make a passenger address. All four engines have stopped. The report went on: "He did this, but with power still applied and possibly a gust affecting the aircraft, a normal touchdown was followed by a bounce, from which the aircraft landed heavily. And we got to 13,000 feet and one engine started. We traveled 80 nautical miles forward, and 15,000 feet or so. "We were now in an aircraft on the ground that was sliding uncontrollably and at that point I thought I was going to die, so I said goodbye to my wife," said Burkill. Ash had clogged the engines, which only restarted when enough of the molten ash solidified and broke off. I trust you are not in too much distress. We have a small problem. From November, 1981, to September, 1986, he coordinated all the FBIs Labor Racketeering investigations. But eventually, when the passenger oxygen masks dropped as the plane steepened its descent, the news had to be announced. "We were about to stall and fall out of the sky," said Captain Peter Burkill in an interview two years later. As the engine cooled from inactivity, and as the aircraft descended out of the ash cloud, the molten ash solidified and enough broke off for air to again flow smoothly through the engine, allowing a successful restart. The aircraft flew into a cloud of volcanic ash thrown up by the eruption of Mount Galunggung (approximately 180 kilometres (110mi) south-east of Jakarta, Indonesia), resulting in the failure of all four engines. Jan 31 Saints and Broncos are finalizing compensation in return for Super Bowl-winning HC Sean Payton, sources tell ESPN. Broncos fans: 0:11 1.6M views The pilot had attempted a water landing while trying to fight off the hijackers. We finish on a slightly comical note. We really worked well as a team but that gets the least amount of attention.. Because volcanic ash up where we were is like talcum powder; it's that fine. The stunning engine failure prompted the crew to declare an emergency and divert to Jakarta, putting the aircraft into a shallow descent and turning back towards land. The great rewilding debate should we be returning eagles and wolves to our national parks? Eric Moody also showed little sign of being terrified as he managed to make an emergency landing at Jakarta airport later he discovered that a plume of ash from a volcano had knocked out all four engines. Ahoy there! Finding a new job with an accident on his record, however, proved difficult, and he rejoined the airline in 2010. All four engines have stopped. WebMoody was then transferred to FBI Headquarters, OC Section, Criminal Investigative Division. We did things that were outside the book. Airmanship may sound old school but former British Airways captain Eric Moody argues it is just as important now as it was when he and his crew struggled to restart all 4 engines on his Boeing 747-200 in 1982. And I hand flew the airplane down. It was, in Moody's words, "a bit like negotiating one's way up abadger's arse.". And then 30 seconds later the other two started up. The BBC is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites. The subsequent explosive decompression saw part of the floor at the rear of the cabin give way, severing a control cable and disabling one of the engines. The captain, Eric Moody, tried to reassure passengers with the following statement: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. The flight deck door was blown off, blocking the throttle control and causing the plane to accelerate towards the ground. It wasnt until later, when he, his crew and the 247 passengers on board the flight, were safely back on the ground, that Moody discovered the cause of the narrowly averted catastrophe volcanic ash. Chesley Sullenberger III, at the helm of US Airways Flight 1549, managed to land safely on the Hudson River after a flock of Canada geese disabled both the aircrafts engines just 2,818 feet above the ground. On the way through, he gained experience and learnt new ways of doing things from the captains with whom he flew during his 10 years as a first officer. Jan 31 Saints and Broncos are finalizing compensation in return for Super Bowl-winning HC Sean Payton, sources tell ESPN. Broncos fans: 0:11 1.6M views She was imprisoned for a year, so perhaps she was denied hair dye in captivity and by the time she appeared in public again at her execution with her hair cut short her grey roots had grown out. No announcement was made to instruct the passengers to fasten their seatbelts, and 20 of the 57 passengers died in the accident. It wasnt until later, when he, his crew and the 247 passengers on board the flight, were safely back on the ground, that Moody discovered the cause of the narrowly averted catastrophe volcanic ash. Without engine thrust, a 747-200 has a glide ratio of approximately 15:1, meaning it can glide forward 15 kilometres for every kilometre it drops. Can hair really turn white overnight? We must've come out of the ash cloud. We have a small problem. Youll love it! It was scrapped at Bournemouth Airport, Dorset, England, in 2009. However, due to the sound of rushing air, he could not hear air traffic control. MOODY: We'll, we didn't find out for sure until two days later, which was quite a worrying period because pilots always think that they're going to get the blame for whatever happens in an airplane. In 1982, a British Airways 747 flew into a cloud of volcanic ash near Indonesia. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. I trust you are not in too much distress.". Or perhaps the immune response might target the pigment-producing system, which would explain why those no follicles no longer producing coloured hair are unaffected. All four engines have stopped. Moody's announcement was actually more than that. A dry sense of perspective that probably did more to relax the passengers than thousands of words of explanation ever could have. But quite honestly, a pilot flies his feet, and wherever he goes the rest of the airplane follows. Though incredibly rare, there have been a few other instances where commercial airliners have been forced to make a landing on water. same chemical used to bleach hair from bottles. Read about our approach to external linking. MOODY: No, they're not. [9] G-BDXH's engineless flight entered the Guinness Book of Records as the longest glide in a non-purpose-built aircraft. City of Edinburgh was returned to service and continued flying until being retired in 2004. We love you. Sign up for notifications from Insider! In some cases the white hairs are unaffected by the condition. Within a year the rest of his hair had done the same. The minimum time in grade to be considered eligible for retirement is two years. The incident featured in an episode of the Mayday documentary TV series Air Crash Investigation titled "Falling From the Sky". Life-threatening situations are not only rare, but unpredictable and no ethics committee is going to let you induce a sufficiently terrifying experience in a lab volunteer. The tags, bearing the campaign's logo, were worn as necklaces or bracelets and used to raise awareness of 10:10's work: the organisation aimed to persuade individuals, organizations and businesses to reduce their carbon emissions by 10% in 2010.[11]. Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health. Then Capt Moody's flight engineer detailed the impact the dust was having on the aircraft itself. Burkill and Coward were hailed as heroes, but the accident took its toll on the former's career. Moody throttled back; however, engine number two surged again and was shut down. MOODY: I mean you're the first person at the scene of an accident and you're the first person to get the blame for an accident. The airliner, flown by Captain Eric Moody, lost thrust from all four engines at 37,000ft. Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops delivered daily to your inbox. All four engines have stopped. You have entered an incorrect email address! Captain Chris Henkey and the crew of the Boeing 777-200 bound for Londons Gatwick airport from Las Vegas had to abandon the takeoff partway down the runway when one of the two engines caught fire. Perhaps the best known incident of recent times, involving the most brilliantly monikered pilot. I trust you are not in too much distress.. The City of Edinburgh had been cruising at 37,000 feet over the ocean on a June night w We have a small problem. Luckily, Captain Bob Pearson was an experienced glider pilot, guiding the 767 to RCAF Station Gimli. That changed 5 years later when he visited BOAC flying boat captains with his father and heard the stories about their lives. The number 3 engine started shortly afterwards followed by the others, although one surged again and had to be shut down. As he climbed the stairs of the Jumbo he noticed puffs of "smoke" billowing from the vents in the floor and detected an acrid smell. She managed to trace some 200 of the 247 passengers on the flight, and went on to marry a fellow survivor, James Ferguson, who had been seated in the row in front of her. It is thought to be caused by an auto-immune response, where the bodys defence system turns on itself. WebSingle Family Office. The airliner, flown by Captain Eric Moody, lost thrust from all four engines at 37,000ft. 56,514 people are reading stories on the site right now. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Gliding as low as 12,000 feet, they turned back towards Indonesia. The crew immediately descended and held 12,000 feet (3,700m). He attended a school near Winchester that had an RAF cadet force and, importantly, learnt to fly a glider at 16. "Not a day goes by without it crossing my mind," he told the BBC last year. WebEric Moody (Captain) Continued flying for British Airways until retiring in 1996 Roger Greaves (First Officer) Unknown Barry Townley-Freeman (Flight Engineer) Has since retired from British Airways Fire Fight (Air Canada 797) Donald Cameron (Captain) Once he got landing permission from an airport in Southampton, Atchison guided the plane down, navigating as debris flew around the cockpit and Lancaster remained on the windshield, still held by the flight attendant. However, it soon began to grow thicker and had an ominous odour of sulphur. Passengers who had a view out the aircraft windows noted that the engines were unusually bright, with light shining forward through the fan blades and producing a stroboscopic effect. I trust you are not in too much distress. Its a common tale, even said to have happened to Marie Antoinette. Im Captain Eric Moody, a native of coastal Georgia and a full time resident of Jekyll Island for over 25 years with 16 of those years has been spent as a fishing guide. The problem had not been spotted earlier because of an electronic fault on the aircrafts instrument panel, and the plane lost all power. [3] Flight 9 was not the first encounter with this eruption a Garuda DC-9 had encountered ash on 5 April 1982.[8]. Furthermore, the dust sandblasted the windscreen, making it almost impossible to see. The captain, Eric Moody, tried to reassure passengers with the following statement: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. With nerves of steel, the captain, Eric Moody, miraculously landed the plane. Engines one, two and three were replaced at Jakarta, as well as the windscreen, and the fuel tanks were cleared of the ash that had entered them through the pressurisation ducts, contaminating the fuel and requiring that it be disposed of. Most Popular Now | 56,514 people are reading stories on the site right now. Disclaimer All content within this column is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Host Scott Simon talks to the retired pilot about the current cloud of volcanic ash drifting across Europe, and how airlines will have to cope. Saints and Broncos are finalizing compensation in return for Super Bowl-winning HC Sean Payton, sources tell ESPN on. Other instances where commercial airliners have been a few other instances where commercial airliners have been forced to a. The captain eric moody retirement deck door was blown off, blocking the throttle control and causing plane... Consult your own GP if you 're in any way concerned about your health, Burkill returned to service into! Was later praised for a cabin announcement that was described as `` a of! 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The unorthodox decision to immediately re-land at Stansted rather than climb away and touch down later 5 years later he! Hijacked Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed into the ocean on a June night w we have a small problem than away... The buildings around Hatton Cross Tube station, '' Burkill recalled transferred to FBI Headquarters, OC Section Criminal... Lost all power a control cable and disabling an engine electronic fault the! Boat captains with his father and heard the stories about their lives a pilot flies his feet, the...
