In a dramatic incident at Bristol Airport on March 4, a TUI flight bound for Gran Canaria nearly ended in disaster when a Boeing 737-8K5 jet struggled to take off due to a fault in its acceleration. A report from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) revealed that the aircraft had only 260 meters of runway left when it finally became airborne, passing alarmingly close—less than 100 feet—over the adjacent major A38 road.
The issue was traced back to the aircraft’s autothrust system, which had disengaged, leading the crew to manually set the thrust below the necessary level, a critical oversight that went unnoticed by both pilots. The AAIB’s bulletin highlighted a “serious” lapse, stating: “The aircraft took off from Runway 09 with a thrust setting significantly below that required to achieve the correct takeoff performance.”
This near-miss incident wasn’t isolated in terms of recent aviation scares. Another alarming event occurred on February 26, when a suspected drone came perilously close—within 50 feet—of a British Airways flight departing Heathrow for Chennai, India. This encounter, involving a Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner at 10,500 feet, is noted as potentially the highest-ever recorded near miss between an aircraft and a drone.
According to the AAIB, the fault in the TUI aircraft’s autothrust has been recognized by Boeing as having “a long history of nuisance disconnects during takeoff mode engagements.” Boeing has since made advancements in the system, urging operators to upgrade to newer models.
The investigation unearthed a deeper issue prevalent in the aviation sector: human difficulty in detecting incorrect acceleration rates during takeoff. The AAIB remarked, “Performance issues can be insidious and invisible to the crew until very late in the takeoff roll.”
A spokesperson from TUI emphasized the airline’s commitment to safety and its cooperative approach in addressing the incident: “We have worked closely with the authorities to provide all available information. The AAIB recommendations and learnings resulting from this take-off will support the whole aviation sector and other airlines. The safety of our passengers and crew is always our highest priority.”
These incidents underscore the challenges and complexities inherent in modern aviation, highlighting the need for continual vigilance and advancement in safety protocols.