What happened
On August 20, 2008, at 12:25 UTC, a Boeing 737, registered G-THOH and operated by Thompson, experienced a technical anomaly while at Faro Airport (LPFR). During the engine start phase of the operation, an unspecified malfunction was detected in the aircraft. To verify the nature of the issue, the crew performed an engine run-up while the aircraft was on its stand, which confirmed the presence of a failure.
Following the confirmation of the malfunction, the aircraft was repositioned to await the arrival of necessary maintenance personnel and repair equipment.
The investigation
The GPIAAF initiated an inquiry into the incident; however, the investigation was hampered by a lack of detailed information provided by the operator regarding the specific nature of the anomaly. The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) was notified of the insufficient data and the fact that the GPIAAF would not be able to proceed with a full investigation. The AAIB subsequently indicated that they would not conduct a separate investigation but would forward the available information to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Findings
- An unspecified technical anomaly was identified during the engine start sequence.
- The malfunction was confirmed via an engine run-up conducted on the aircraft stand.
- The investigation was closed because no further information or requests for collaboration were received by the authorities.