Air Group malfunctions on Concorde during departure from Heathrow

Casualties unknown • Transatlantic cruise, GB

A passenger flight involving a BAC Concorde experienced two separate air group warnings and smoke in the flight deck during its initial climb from London Heathrow.

What happened

On 4 October 2003, a BAC Concorde Type 1 Variant 102, registration G-BOAC, was performing a scheduled passenger flight departing from London Heathrow Airport. During the initial climb phase, the flight crew observed an amber 'AIR & SMOKE' warning related to the No 1 Air Group. This was accompanied by a noticeable smell and visible smoke within the flight deck. In response, the handling pilot donned an oxygen mask while the captain and flight engineer executed emergency procedures, which included the shutdown of the No 1 Air Group. Although the smoke and odor dissipated, attempting to restart the unit after five minutes triggered the warning again, leading the crew to leave the No 1 Air Group inoperative.

Approximately 30 minutes later, a second amber warning appeared for the No 2 Air Group. Unlike the first occurrence, there was no visible smoke or odor in the cockpit or the passenger cabin. The crew followed established checklists to shut down the No 2 Air Group. To ensure the external skin temperature remained within safe operational limits with the reduced cooling capacity, the crew reduced the cruise speed slightly to Mach 1.97. The flight continued to its destination without further issues, and there were no injuries to the 10 crew members or 93 passengers on board.

The investigation

The investigation focused on the mechanical integrity of the aircraft's air group cold air units. The inquiry examined the No 1 and No 2 Air Groups to determine the source of the smoke and the recurring warnings. The investigation established that the malfunctions were linked to internal component failures within the cooling units.

Findings

  • The primary cause of the initial smoke and the subsequent warnings was bearing damage and oil seal diaphragm failure within the cold air units of both the No 1 and No 2 Air Groups.
  • The aircraft's flight crew followed all necessary checklist procedures and operational manuals to manage the temperature and engine air group status.
  • No smoke or odor reached the passenger cabin during either incident.

Probable cause

The malfunctions were caused by the failure of bearings and oil seal diaphragms within the No 1 and No 2 Air Group cold air units.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2003-10-04 CONCORDE TYPE 1 VARIANT 102 accident near Transatlantic cruise, GB?

A passenger flight involving a BAC Concorde experienced two separate air group warnings and smoke in the flight deck during its initial climb from London Heathrow.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2003-10-04 involved a CONCORDE TYPE 1 VARIANT 102, registration G-BOAC, at Transatlantic cruise, GB.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The malfunctions were caused by the failure of bearings and oil seal diaphragms within the No 1 and No 2 Air Group cold air units.

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