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Airbus A340 Meets Wall. Airbus Loses.

By miller22 | November 26, 2007

Etihad was to receive their next A340 this week, but it seems that delivery may be delayed. While running an engine test at the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, the A340-600 jumped the chocks and headed for the blast wall. The good news is the blast wall held up remarkably well. The bad news is the Airbus did not.A3403402.jpg3403.jpg3404.jpg3405.jpg3406.jpg3407.jpg

Topics: Airbus, Etihad, Pictures | 78 Comments »

  • Ufg

    YOU ARE SOOOOO FIRED!

  • http://skirmisher.org/were-not-making-this-up/well-sell-these-stupidities-to-you-wholesale/ We’ll Sell These Stupidities To You Wholesale : SKIRMISHER: News for the hot-blooded, manly geek

    [...] So how does an Airbus A340 say hello to an immovable concrete [...]

  • justin

    Someone did not spend enough time in the simulator.

  • no name

    So that’s the first accidental crash of one of these?

  • Ufg

    I hope he remembered to save the game first.

  • Gawain

    I didn’t know they did crash tests on airliners.

  • http://anglictina.zaridi.to/ Anglictina

    Ouch, this is horrible :(

  • alejo0121

    Pwned!11!!!!

  • http://www.engsoc.org/~crans/3284ME/?p=550 Mistakes that will get you fired… « 3284ME

    [...] Dont worry, it didnt take off or anything…there was a handy blast wall that prevented that. Here are some pictures. If I had to guess, I wouldnt say the whole airplane is a write-off. At least we [...]

  • http://www.hemmy.net/2007/11/29/airbus-a340-meets-wall/ Airbus A340 Meets Wall

    [...] 6 more pics of the demise of Etihad’s new Airbus A340 after the jump. Source: Airline Empires [...]

  • Marc

    Actually, they didn’t have chocks – they were running against the brakes only. Whoops!

  • http://www.speedstrip.com Jimmity

    The nose is gnarled up something fierce! Both over and under. Wonder if the flight crew got harmed in this one… or if that’s “jaws of life” action going on.

  • xpilot

    OMFG what a moron not to chock the wheels, during a 100% engine test you usually tie the plane down to prevent this mishap. This plane is scrap metal and cannot be repaired……. maybe the engines can be salvaged, typical for the french rumor has it the guy testing the engines thought the germans were invading and left the control panel, NICE JOB FRENCHIE

  • http://frogsmoke.com/2007/11/29/plane-vs-wall-wall-wins/ Frogsmoke.com – Behind The Gallic Fumes

    [...] More photos [...]

  • general pepper

    Game Over!

  • vince

    i wasn’t an accidental crash….

    that was a test crash test…

    all remote controlled

  • http://www.airlineempires.net/blog/2007/11/26/airbus-a340-meets-wall-airbus-loses/ Flysafe

    I see a large payroll deduction in your short future..

  • http://www.expressjetpilots.com/the-pipe/crew-room/19377-check-out-airbus-accident-nov-15th.html#post189093 Check out this airbus accident from Nov. 15th! – ExpressJet Pilots

    [...] Here are the same pictures posted online. Airbus A340 Meets Wall. Airbus Loses. | Airline Empires [...]

  • http://www.travelblog.it/post/4441/incidenti-aerei-le-immagini-dellairbus-impazzito/ Incidenti aerei, le immagini dell’Airbus impazzito

    [...] Ecco le tipiche immagini di incidenti aerei che non vorreste mai vedere prima di prendere un volo. La buona notizia è che nessuno si è fatto davvero male. L’aereo è un Airbus A340 che stava facendo un test motori a Tolosa, in Francia. Come potete notare il test non ha funzionato alla perfezione… Per altre foto dell’incidente seguite il linka al blog Airlineempires.net [...]

  • chip

    Man I would love to see the vid on this

  • wavking

    # Marc Says:
    November 28th, 2007 at 2:46 pm

    Actually, they didn’t have chocks – they were running against the brakes only. Whoops!

    ————

    the A340-600 jumped the chocks and headed for the blast wall.

    ————-

    So who is lying?

  • Ed

    Owned!

  • http://ehowa ray

    That’s why I go Boeing! Good Brakes!

  • http://ehowa Sara

    Some French asshole’s gonna sting tonight!

  • Yvon

    If there had been pasengers on this plane how many would have been injured, or died? And the plane was on the ground. You never see me in one, if I can help it.

  • http://ehowa john

    I agree,BOEING, BOEING.BOEING,BOEING!

  • True

    Must have been a very wild ride for whoever was in the cockpit.

  • True

    Vince, I very seriously doubt it was a remote controlled test. If it were, it would not have the Etihad colors plastered all over it.

    Not only is that airline out the delivery of the aircraft, (I don’t think they would accept it no matter how strongly Airbus insisted it was fixed perfectly) but the photos themselves make powerful negative images that are going to linger in the minds of anyone who sees them.

    From a public relations standpoint, this is a very negative event for that airline and I would not be surprised if they take legal action for some sort of defamation because of it.

  • frank

    thats not an airbus. air bus has 2 levels and way more seats than that 787. dumbnut.

  • Brian

    Wake up guys. Thais an Airbus A340-600, there were 9 people on board, 5 went to hospital, non died. Given that what your looking at is a very thin Aluminium/Composite structure hitting a reinforced concrete wall, the fact everyone got out alive is testament to the strength of the airframe, do that in a Boeing and you die.

  • http://www.airlineempires.net miller22

    That thing crumpled like an aluminum can under a 300 pound flight attendant! If I had to crash, I’d take a Boeing over an Airbus any day, but a Douglas beats them all.

  • Sam Kidd

    $250M USD or there abouts for a A340-600 Thats one of the most expensive planes new-junk time I have ever come across!!

  • Matt

    Unlike several of these comments, this account seems well-informed and fact based: http://tinyurl.com/2z3ldk
    . Some commenters here would do well to get themselves a popup book of The World’s Airliners and spend a bit of time studying it.

  • http://n/a Tony Ford

    Were the French trying to make the nose look like the Anglo/French Concord? Wonder what the voice activated announcements were…..”pull up pull up pull up!”

  • http://n/a Paul Ford

    Wow! What would you pay for a ride like that?

  • http://www.boeing.com JGG

    well, at least they can learn from their mistakes.. a pretty expensive one!.. and the windows did not brake! so.. there… something was really strong on that airplane..

  • Jules

    Theres’ a real benefit in flying coach class then eh?
    CVR would make interesting comments.
    so will they rename this air bust A340.75%

  • http://rlock.eu/warlock/coolio anglictina

    ouch, no, it is horrible

  • etihad attendant

    screw who did the plane. and screw who was driving the plane and by the way who was driving he didnt have a much experience in it . cause A-340 needs alot of training

  • Tony

    Excellent candidates for the Darwin awards.

  • John

    Airbus for sale comes as is needs brakes and some bodywork i be looking at Boeing for sure

  • John Faires

    Third world intelligence mets first world technology. It happens all the time

  • pilotwannabe

    OOOO{S!

  • ammar

    بل طيران الاتحاد والطيارة يديدة
    واو

  • Clueless51

    downey

  • http://www.ajlounyinjurylaw.com/bronx_lawyer.htm Ajlouny

    No kidding that the airbus did not survive, in this case pictures are worth a thousand words.

  • Simone

    WOW! Someone isn't sleeping well these days…..

  • Yourmom

    some one will feel that in the morning

  • J

    Last word's on the CVR, did we put the parking brake on ?

  • http://www.gambling.ph free slots

    That doesn't look like an airbus that I want to fly in anytime soon!

  • Jasper

    Just a routine run-up check. The manual is handy if needed.

    The brand spanking new Airbus 340-600, the largest passenger airplane ever built, sat in its hangar in Toulouse, France without a single hour of airtime. Enter the Arab flight crew of Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT) to conduct pre-delivery tests on the ground, such as engine run-ups, prior to delivery to Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi.

    The ADAT crew taxied the A340-600 to the run-up area. Then they took all four engines to takeoff power with a virtually empty aircraft. Not having read the run-up manuals, they had no clue just how light an empty A340-600 really is.

    The takeoff warning horn was blaring away in the cockpit because they had all 4 engines at full power. The aircraft computers thought they were trying to take off but the aircraft had not been configured properly (flaps/slats, etc.) Then one of the ADAT crew decided to pull the circuit breaker on the Ground Proximity Sensor to silence the alarm.

    This fooled the aircraft into thinking it was in the air.

    The computers automatically released all the brakes and set the aircraft rocketing forward. The ADAT crew had no idea that this is a safety feature so that pilots can't land with the brakes on.

    Not one member of the seven-man Arab crew was bright enough to throttle back the engines from their max power setting, so the $200 million brand-new aircraft crashed into a blast barrier, totaling it.

    The extent of injuries to the crew is unknown for there has been a news blackout in the major media in France and elsewhere. Coverage of the story was deemed insulting to Muslim Arabs. Finally, the photos leaked out

  • SmackThoseMuslims

    Muslims are insulted no matter what you say! They need to OWN UP like a man and admit they screwed up! Who do they think they are? And where do they get all this money to buy and outfit these awesome planes! Thank the USA for that! Why aren't they feeding the poor with all this money???? They fly better than us obviously, so tell the Muslims to SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!

  • peace

    be quiet and go away

  • Vincent Malourah

    The plane was repaired, it took 3 weeks to get it ready but the order was canceled and this paritcular plane is now on banana republican dutys.

  • Hmdd

    this is a Hoax.think about and have a brain. :)

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    No kidding that the airbus did not survive, in this case pictures are worth a thousand words.

  • http://www.moviesforfree.tv Watch Movies Online

    No kidding that the airbus did not survive, in this case pictures are worth a thousand words.

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  • http://www.google.com/ Name

    That is absolutely positively impossible to repair that plane in 3 weeks. I worked structures/stress engineering on Cessna Jets and a few props…in one case we had two planes collide (reasonable speed, one plane sitting, another being taxied) in which the wing of one plane went through the tail cone of another just aft of the aft pressure bulkhead. The tip of the wing ripped through 4 frames, buckled both engine beams…over 3 weeks of just ripping the plane apart to find problems. Ended up replacing the entire tailcone! Re-install took MONTHS! And comparatively the damage on this plane is catastrophic. Can you imagine the re-install of the avionics? SNAP! That thing won't be in the air in probably over a year, honestly.

  • Olga_n_pete

    stupid fucking Muslims

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  • Danial_imran06

    Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT) employs a france and USA national technical expert to conduct static test.. Why to blame religions? May god throw Sin upon anti religious individuals..

  • Amanmail

    Hmmm, leaving aside the racism, the quoted “news” story sounds kinda fishy to me.

    Based on Jasper knowledge, here’s what I see wrong already:

    A340-600 isn’t the largest passenger airplane ever built. The Boeing 747-800 and 773 and even Airbus’ own 380 are larger. [Supposed to soung longer]

    Generally, you don’t have an aircrew (pilots) do initial engine run-up checks and you don’t have a ground crew “taxi” an aircraft for such checks. The a/c is towed to the test site/run-up area.

    How does pulling the Ground Proximity Sensor c/b silence the “takeoff configuration” warning horn? Ground Proximity Sensor warning is disabled w/ the gear down (as during a ground test), otherwise landings would be REALLY annoying and pilots might avoid them altogether. (Also, Ground Proximity doesn’t have anything to do with the power setting: it’s based on altitude.)

    Oh, wait, and pulling such a c/b doesn’t “fool” the aircraft into thinking anything (like, say, that it’s in the air). That wouldn’t release the brakes. Not unless the French are really stupid design engineers (and that doesn’t have anything to do with the “muslums”).

    I don’t know about an A340, but all the wheeled aircraft that I’ve flown can be landed with their brakes on. Rarely, however, is it recommended.

    I’ll see if I can find the accident report.

  • Danial_imran06

    This is info from the accident investigation report, from the French version of the NTSB (I believe), the BEA:

    A. Mixed ground test crew of 9 on board: some from Airbus proper, based there in Toulouse, some from the Abu Dhabi-based contractor working on the airline’s behalf.

    3 people in the cockpit for the test: 2 from Airbus, one from the contractor.

    Running the test, in the right seat of the cockpit, in charge of the all controls: Airbus technician, 15 yr employee, 9 yrs experience testing these engines. When he was alerted that the aircraft was moving, his only actions were to kill the parking brake while simultaneously stomping on the main brakes.

    In the left seat, observing the test: contractor employee, alerted the test tech that the aircraft was moving. Has no specified role in the test other than to observe.

    In the “service” seat (like the navigator’s seat, only the A340 ain’t got no navigator, I don’t believe): Airbus-employed test pilot, 9 yrs experience as a professional pilot, 7 as a test pilot, not type rated (i.e., not an A340 pilot), perhaps a manager qualified to supervise such tests. Once again, no specific role other than to observe, but in the end it was him who pulled the throttles back.

    B. There were two main causes: 1) no chocks were used to hold the aircraft’s wheels in place during the test. 2) All four engines were brought to full power to test one leaky engine. Procedures required the use of chocks and running up two engines – the one leaking and one on the other wing (to prevent torquing and yawing of the fuselage). These two procedures had been frequently ignored by all Airbus technicians at the test center for some time.

    Short answer: the test was done improperly, not in accordance with written procedures and standards. The fault of the Airbus technician.

    Contributing causes: 1) the full power of four engines is almost exactly equal to the braking power of the A340s parking brake and the frictional coefficient of the test area’s tarmac, hence the aircraft only moved when shaking of the aircraft and the burning off of fuel lessened the overall braking coefficient. 2) The technician tried to use the brakes alone to stop the aircraft rather than retarding the throttles as well.

    C. Fun fact: the numbers 3 and 4 engines could not be shut down after impact because the throttle control connection to them had been severed. No. 4 was finally killed over two-and-a-half hours later when enough water and fire-fighting foam had been pumped into it to snuff it out. The No. 3 engine died at 1:25 am the next morning – 9 hrs later – when it ran out of gas: it was too jammed into the wall to get any water/foam into it. Now THAT’S hi-larious. And not a bad advertisement for Rolls-Royce engines, it seems to me.

    Yeah, the “news” account above is one of those made up slander e-mails, urban legend-style. No evidence of any cover-up, the photos were widely-disseminated right away (as you can see by the date of this blog report), once the accident investigating was done, no reason why the plane wouldn’t be cleaned up right away. Doesn’t look too good for an airport to have a crashed aircraft anywhere on its tarmac.

    Lesson: racists are racists – go ahead and call them that – and don’t believe what you read on the internet, particularly the clearly racist stuff. Oh, and those of you who believed this stuff and called yourselves professional pilots, you’re not. I am.

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  • Pacificsakti

    pilot error

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