What happened
On 28 June 2024, a Boeing 777-236, registration G-VIIT, was performing a commercial passenger flight departing from London Gatwick Airport. During the takeoff roll on Runway 2മുണ്ട 26L, the co-pilot, acting as the pilot flying, experienced an inadvertent movement of the thrust levers. Upon hearing the automatic airspeed callout for V1, the co-pilot unintentionally began retarding the thrust levers instead of removing his hand from them to continue the takeoff.
As the aircraft continued to accelerate through Vr2, the co-pilot momentarily advanced the levers again before officially initiating a rejected takeoff (RTO) procedure approximately 2 KIAS after the initial error. The aircraft successfully decelerated and came to a stop well before the end of the runway. However, the intense braking required during the aborted takeoff caused the right-side main wheel brakes to overheat, resulting in a fire that was subsequently extinguished by the airport's rescue and firefighting service. There were no injuries to the 13 crew members or 334 passengers on board.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the flight data, cockpit voice recordings, and the operator's training manuals. The investigation focused on the mechanics of the thrust lever movement and the crew's decision-making process. The investigation noted that the co-pilot had recently returned from annual leave and that while he was an experienced pilot, the incident was characterized as an "action slip"—a failure in a routine motor sequence.
Investigators also reviewed the operator's existing safety protocols, including a recent safety notice regarding methodical control execution. The analysis considered the cognitive load during the takeoff roll and the potential for instinctive motor actions to override intended procedures during critical transition speeds.