Two engines 'did not respond'

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Two engines on the British Airways plane that crash-landed at Heathrow Airport "did not respond" to a demand for increased thrust about two miles from touchdown, an initial report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch said Friday.

The report describes the Boeing 777 hitting problems 600 feet off the ground and descending rapidly, just making it onto Heathrow land.

The report says: "Initial indications from [crew] interviews and Flight Recorder analyses show the flight and approach to have progressed normally until the aircraft was established on late finals for Runway 27L.

"At approximately 600ft and two miles from touch down, the Autothrottle demanded an increase in thrust from the two engines but the engines did not respond.

"Following further demands for increased thrust from the Autothrottle, and subsequently the flight crew moving the throttle levers, the engines similarly failed to respond. The aircraft speed reduced and the aircraft descended onto the grass short of the paved runway surface." Read the full report (pdf)

The AAIB says that it will carry out further analysis of the flight data recorders and that examination of the aircraft systems and engines is ongoing.

The report came out as the jet's captain praised John Coward, his senior flight officer, who was at the controls at the time of the incident. As the Boeing 777 approached Heathrow's south runway, it appears to have lost power, forcing the emergency landing.

Captain Peter Burkill made a public statement Friday praising his crew, especially Coward, who did a "most remarkable job." Watch what Captain Burkill said about his crew and passengers »

"Flying is about teamwork, and we had an outstanding team on board yesterday," Burkill said.

"As captain of the aircraft, I am proud to say that every member of my team played their part expertly.

"I want to thank the passengers, too, for their calmness and good sense in extremely unfamiliar circumstances. I wish those who suffered injury a speedy and complete recovery."

BAA Heathrow, owner and operator of the airport, said earlier that 53 flights -- mainly short-haul -- had been canceled. It said it was working to restore "near-normal" operations.

The flight, BA38, was arriving in London from Beijing, China, when it reportedly lost power. The jet was still on the tarmac Friday.

Retired 747 captain Mike Giles, who has also flown the Boeing 777, said it was extremely rare for an aircraft to lose two engines within seconds of each other.

If the engines failed, he said, "It's got to have something to do with switching the fuel off, but that's my considered opinion."

Giles also dismissed the possibility that birds caused the crash.

"There is no way in this world that birds would stop two engines within seconds of each other," he said. "If it comes out as a 'bird strike' on both engines, I would be absolutely amazed. I would be astounded."

The plane may have hit a flock of birds, he said, but even then, "the chances of it stopping the engine dead, and a flock of birds stopping both engines at the same time, I think are a million to one.

"The situation must have occurred very late with the landing sequence because they didn't have time to tell passengers to get in the brace position, and they didn't have time to call the tower."

The accident happened at the east end of Heathrow's southern runway, one of only two at the airport. See the chain of events that airport officials will be investigating. »

Planes were still being allowed to use the southern runway Friday for takeoffs to the west -- away from the accident site -- and planes were using the northern runway for landings.

An investigator who has been briefed on the incident told CNN that the plane's captain "is claiming there wasn't power when he needed it."

The BBC said an unidentified Heathrow worker told the broadcaster that he had spoken to the pilot. The pilot said, according to the worker, that the plane's electronics had failed and that he was forced to glide it to the ground. Read passenger accounts of the landing

The jetliner touched down several hundred yards short of the airport's south runway, close to a perimeter road. Afterward, its emergency chutes deployed, and it was sprayed with white fire-fighting foam, which covered the engines.

The undercarriage, left wing and left engine of the aircraft were severely damaged, as if it had skidded across the ground. At least one of the plane's wheels had been torn off.

The most visible damage was to the left wing, which was covered in mangled metal where it meets the fuselage.

British Airways said all 136 passengers and 16 crew members were safely evacuated, while The Associated Press reported Friday that 19 people were injured.

The Boeing 777 is the mainstay of many airlines' long-haul fleets and has never been involved in a fatal accident since coming into service in 1995. It can seat up to 400 people, depending on the configuration.

However, the aircraft involved in Thursday's incident appeared to have had a fortunate escape, having approached Heathrow over heavily-populated west London suburbs before its crash-landing.

There are 680 of the planes around the world, with 357 ordered and yet to be delivered.

"You're talking here about essentially one of the most modern airplanes in the world," said Kieran Daly, editor of Air Transport Intelligence, a Web site that provides information on the aviation industry.

"This is an aircraft which is still being built in substantial numbers by Boeing -- and no doubt will be for a long time to come -- which is being flown by one of the most sophisticated and safest airlines in the world. And it's landing at one of the best-equipped, safest and most sophisticated airports in the world." E-mail to a friend

CNN's Jim Boulden and Mike Ahlers contributed to this report.

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