British Airways Flight 268
G-BNLG, the aircraft involved in the incident, photographed in 2004 | |
| Incident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 20 February 2005 |
| Summary | Engine fire, shutdown, and flameout, after take-off |
| Site |
|
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 747-436 |
| Aircraft name | Whale Rider |
| Operator | British Airways |
| IATA flight No. | BA268 |
| ICAO flight No. | BAW268 |
| Call sign | SPEEDBIRD 268 |
| Registration | G-BNLG |
| Flight origin | Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California |
| Destination | Heathrow Airport, London, United Kingdom |
| Occupants | 370 |
| Passengers | 352 |
| Crew | 18 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Survivors | 370 |
British Airways Flight 268 was a regularly scheduled flight from Los Angeles to London Heathrow. On February 20, 2005, the innermost left engine emitted flames, triggered by an engine compressor stall almost immediately after takeoff. The Boeing 747-400 continued to fly across the United States, Canada, and the Atlantic Ocean with its three remaining engines. The flight then made an emergency landing at Manchester Airport, after experiencing difficulty balancing the remaining fuel between the 4 fuel tanks.