LOC18:53
15:53 GMT
CELEBRITY CONCORDE FLIGHT ABORTED
LONDON, MARCH 15 (KUNA) -- THE CAPTAIN OF A BRITISH AIRWAYS' CONCORDE
PACKED WITH CELEBRITIES HAD TO ABORT TAKE OFF FRIDAY AFTER AN ENGINE PROBLEM,
THE COMPANY SAID.
CAPTAIN PAUL DOUGLAS ABANDONED THE TAKE-OFF AT LONDON'S HEATHROW AIRPORT
AFTER A COMPUTER ERROR CAUSED AN ENGINE TO ACCELERATE TOO QUICKLY.
THE 100-SEAT PLANE WAS FULL OF PASSENGERS FLYING TO AMERICA FOR IMPORTANT
SOCIAL EVENTS.
THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THAT A BRITISH AIRWAYS CONCORDE HAS HAD THIS TYPE
OF PROBLEM SINCE THE SUPERSONIC PLANE WENT BACK INTO SERVICE IN NOVEMBER 2001
FOLLOWING A MODIFICATION PROGRAMME ORDERED AFTER THE AIR FRANCE CONCORDE CRASH
IN JULY 2000 IN PARIS, WHICH CLAIMED 113 LIVES.
"THE PROBLEM TODAY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY OF THE MODIFICATION WORK AND
THE PLANE WAS ONLY GOING AT ABOUT 30 MILES-PER-HOUR WHEN THE CAPTAIN DECIDED
TO ABORT THE TAKE-OFF", SAID A BA SPOKESMAN.
THE PLANE WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE AND WAS BEING EXAMINED BY BRITISH AIRWAYS
ENGINEERS.
MEANWHILE, THE AFFECTED PASSENGERS WERE ABLE TO LEAVE ON ANOTHER CONCORDE
LATER THIS AFTERNOON, BRITISH AIRWAYS CONFIRMED. (END)
HE.TG
KUNA 151853 Mar 02NNNN