Runway excursion involving aircraft during takeoff roll

No fatalities • Hamburg-Helmut-Schmidt (Fuhlsbüttel), Germany • Takeoff (climb)

An aircraft experienced an uncommanded leftward deviation during its takeoff roll, resulting in a runway overrun and significant structural damage.

What happened

While performing the takeoff roll on runway 23, the flight crew observed the aircraft drifting toward the left. At a velocity of 120 knots, the captain found that the directional deviation could not be corrected through standard control inputs. In response to this loss of directional control, the pilot initiated an aborted takeoff and applied emergency braking.

Despite these efforts, the aircraft failed to stop before the end of the runway. The plane overran the paved surface and traveled approximately 140 meters into an adjacent field. During the excursion, the aircraft sustained severe structural damage, breaking into three separate sections and losing its undercarriage. The incident resulted in 10 serious injuries, including four crew members and six passengers, while the remaining 31 occupants escaped without harm. The aircraft was a total loss.

Findings

While an official certainty regarding the accident remains unavailable, investigations highlighted a mechanical issue involving the engine configuration. It was reported that a valve on the second engine stayed in the closed position. This malfunction caused the reverse thrust system to deploy on that specific engine, which created the asymmetric thrust responsible for the aircraft's path deviation during the takeoff roll.

Probable cause

The deployment of reverse thrust on one engine due to a closed valve caused an uncommanded directional deviation during the takeoff roll.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1961-07-27 Boeing 707 accident near Hamburg-Helmut-Schmidt (Fuhlsbüttel), Germany?

An aircraft experienced an uncommanded leftward deviation during its takeoff roll, resulting in a runway overrun and significant structural damage.

Were there any fatalities in the 1961-07-27 Boeing 707 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1961-07-27 involved a Boeing 707, registration F-BHSA, operated by Air France, at Hamburg-Helmut-Schmidt (Fuhlsbüttel), Germany.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The deployment of reverse thrust on one engine due to a closed valve caused an uncommanded directional deviation during the takeoff roll.

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