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Tel Aviv-Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV/LLBG)
Destination airport:
London-Heathrow Airport (LHR/EGLL)
Confidence Rating:
Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
Narrative: British Airways A350-1000 G-XWBD operating flight BA162 (Tel Aviv – London Heathrow) leaked/spilled hydraulic fluid after landing 19 February 2020 at Heathrow (at approximately 09:55 am local time) and was disabled on the north runway for a period, before being able to taxi under its own power. According to reports, runway 27R was blocked, causing problems for aircraft arriving and leaving. This caused widespread disruptions and diversions while the runway was blocked by G-XWBD.
The incident caused flight delays and also prevented some aircraft from landing, according to social media users. Aviation enthusiasts said planes had to circle the airport multiple times instead of landing, with some being diverted to Gatwick. United Airlines flight UA924 from Washington DC to Heathrow was forced to declare an emergency due to low fuel levels after being held in the air. A flight map shared online shows how the plane had to change destination after trying to land at one of Heathrow’s two runways. Flights from Belfast City and Hamburg landed at Gatwick, while flights from Edinburgh and Brussels landed at Stansted.
A Heathrow spokesperson said: ‘For a matter of minutes one of the runways was out of service as an aircraft was towed from the taxiway. Heathrow is now operating as normal.’
Runway 27R at Heathrow was re-opened once the runway had been cleaned of the hydraulic fluid spillage/leakage. It seems that the runway was re-opened shortly after 10:30 am.
According to one source G-XWBD is an unusually "unlucky" aircraft, having been involved in four notifiable incidents in four months: *November 22, 2019: G-XWBD hit in hangar at Toulouse, delays delivery. *December 23, 2019: Delivery to British Airways. Entered service January 1st, 2020. *January 20, 2020: Hard landing in Tel Aviv prompts jet taken out of service. *February 12, 2020: Hydraulic failure on approach into Toronto. Hydraulic fluid leak found and heat with brakes resulted in very minor smokey fire. Airplane could not taxi. *February 19, 2020: Hydraulic failure on approach into Heathrow, Hydraulic Fluid leaks onto runway causing closure of 1/2 Heathrow runways and similar smokey brakes.