Incident Summary
On 6 August 2003, at approximately 2100 UTC, a Boeing 777-236, registration G-VIIL, was involved in a refuelling incident at Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The aircraft, manufactured in 1998 and powered by two GE90-85B turbofan engines, had arrived from London and parked at 1613 local time. A refuelling operative with 29 years of experience, qualified on the Boeing 777 since January 2003, began refuelling using a hydrant refuelling vehicle. As refuelling neared completion, the operative lowered the platform and stepped off onto the apron. When the preset fuel quantity was reached, the automatic system began closing the aircraft's refuelling valves, and the operative released the deadman's handle to stop the hydrant valve. At that moment, the hydrant vehicle lurched, and the inboard refuelling hose detached from the aircraft. Approximately 17 litres of fuel spilled onto the apron; no fire occurred. All 14 crew and 254 passengers were off the aircraft; no injuries were reported.
Engineering Examination
An operator's engineer in Atlanta examined the aircraft and found that the three lugs of the aircraft's refuelling adapter had failed and were lodged in the refuelling nozzle. The flexible hoses connecting the vehicle's platform to the aircraft's refuelling point were too short to allow full platform descent when connected. The adapter and failed lugs were sent to a UK materials laboratory. After exhaustive analysis, it was concluded that the lug failure resulted from excessive stress applied via the refuelling nozzle, causing overload failure. No prior cracking or material/manufacturing defect contributed.
Previous Incidents
Similar incidents were referenced. On 5 September 2001, a Boeing 777 at Denver, Colorado experienced an inboard hose breakaway during refuelling, leading to fuel ignition and fatal burns to the refuelling operator. The lugs failed from overload with no pre-existing defect. That accident remains under investigation by the US NTSB. On 19 October 2001, an Airbus A320 at Stansted, England experienced a hose breakaway during a leak check, spilling about 70 litres of fuel without ignition. Investigation revealed that the attachment screws had failed in overload due to excessive tensile stress, likely from a previous incident where a vehicle drove away with the hose attached.
Safety Actions
Following the incident to G-VIIL, the aircraft operator implemented four internal safety recommendations. Two addressed company procedures and training. One recommended a risk assessment for the safer position of the refuelling operative (platform or ground). The fourth recommended that all hydrant refuelling vehicles servicing the operator's Boeing 777 aircraft have hoses of adequate length to allow full platform lowering during refuelling, thus preventing loads on the adapter beyond the weight of the hose and contained fuel.