LGW340 From United Kingdom, joined May 2007, 314 posts, RR: 0 Posted (1 year 2 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 28729 times:
Hiya,
My dad is captain on British Airways 737's and I went on a turnaround with him LGW-BRI yesterday and he told me about a BA 737-400 that may be written off at Genoa, Italy (GOA).
It was on the ramp and somebody hit it with a stairs vehicle. It ripped through the fuselage and you could see into the cabin. Apparently it went through the fuselage like a can opener!
A special team from Boeing was sent out to assess it and to repair the 737, they would have to build a special hangar around it at Genoa Airport so BA are currently deciding whether to declare it W/O given that they will be retired in 2014 anyway.
I THINK it was G-DOCU (can't be sure) but my dad said it was one of the better ones anyway.
anstar From Netherlands, joined Nov 2003, 4845 posts, RR: 6 Reply 1, posted (1 year 2 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 28591 times:
Happened on 30th April and has been at GOA since.
I believe they would need to set up a hangar around it to do the repairs - but I believe its fate is currently being decided. Ie it is not feasable to get it fixed at GOA and it can't be flown elsewhere.
by738 From US Minor Outlying Islands, joined Sep 2000, 1982 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (1 year 2 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 28338 times:
Very definitely DOCU. Wonder why it couldnt be flown even a short distance unpressurised, maybe could make damage worse I suppose. Write it off and get some funding for a new one !
Tristarsteve From Sweden, joined Nov 2005, 3692 posts, RR: 34 Reply 3, posted (1 year 2 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 28291 times:
Quoting LGW340 (Thread starter): It was on the ramp and somebody hit it with a stairs vehicle.
I have seen the picture. The gash is at elbow height about 4 ft long in front of the fwd cargo door,
It said it was a baggage truck, but your dads a captain so he must be right.
Its below floor level, so not much gabin to see.
Didn't know a Boeing team was there! BA usually does this themselves.
LIPZ From Austria, joined Jun 2006, 1075 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (1 year 2 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 28067 times:
from BA source
Quote:
30th April 2012 - G-DOCU Genoa Technical Issue.
Boeing 737-476 G-DOCU operated BA2688 London Gatwick - Genoa this morning however the return BA2689 was cancelled due to the aircraft being damaged by a ground vehicle.
30th April 2012 - G-DOCU Genoa Technical Issue.
Boeing 737-476 G-DOCU operated BA2688 London Gatwick - Genoa this morning however the return BA2689 was cancelled due to the aircraft being damaged by a ground vehicle.
Too bad the "BA Source" got the aircraft technically wrong - it's a 737-436.
kaitak From Ireland, joined Aug 1999, 11952 posts, RR: 37 Reply 11, posted (1 year 2 weeks 19 hours ago) and read 24751 times:
Sad to hear; have flown on this aircraft very often, mostly on JER-LGW/vv; it's a twenty year old aircraft, so if the damage is too costly, they have take the decision to write it off.
LGW340 From United Kingdom, joined May 2007, 314 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (1 year 2 weeks 19 hours ago) and read 24680 times:
Quoting Tristarsteve (Reply 3): It said it was a baggage truck, but your dads a captain so he must be right.
It may very well have been a baggage truck, this is just what he has heard from other pilots
Quoting Rafabozzolla (Reply 7): Can't it be taken to the Piaggio facilities that are right at the airport?
Would have thought it would be too small for a 737-400?
Quoting irregking (Reply 10): which are the better Gatwick 734's? DOCM-DOCZ? ie. the newer ones or is there another pattern?
Don't think there is any pattern to 'the better ones', just which ones are less worn. I've flown on nearly all of them and some of them really do feel like they are falling apart while others aren't as bad
Tristarsteve From Sweden, joined Nov 2005, 3692 posts, RR: 34 Reply 13, posted (1 year 2 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 22218 times:
Quoting LGW340 (Reply 12): It may very well have been a baggage truck
It was. The skin is punctured. The gash is 7 feet long.
A team of BA Engineers from LGW are there. Some temporary repair plates are being manufactured at LGW and the aircraft will be ferried to LHR for assessment/permanent repair.
26 Gulfstream650: Rest assured, the insurance adjusters on behalf of the underwriters will make the call on that even if that is what BA would like to do. I should add
27 lightsaber: That depends on the structure. The unpressurized part isn't an issue (without pax, of course). I think you're referring to the 735. Are those rivits
28 heathrow: Such a shame. Have such great memories of these birds, especially DOCL and DOCF back when world tails were still around....
29 BA777: How did the baggage truck get to that area forward of the door anyway?
30 lapper: Probably spinning round with some trailers in tow trying to get as close to the door as possible. That is a loooong gash as well...
31 na: Technically a repair should be no problem. But the 734 is a type currently being retired from the fleet, and this plane is already 19 1/2 years old,
33 Jetset7e7: Wow thats some gash! Think someone would of have lost their job over this!! I remember flying this aircraft MAN-LGW. BA have always looked after thei
34 CrimsonNL: Any update on GDOCU's status? Rumour has it she's been ferried to London. Rgds Martijn
35 TupolevTu154: The information I've read said that DOCU was ferried from Genoa to LHR in the afternoon of the 13th as BAW9279, "presumably" for repairs.
36 KC135TopBoom: Well the skin is very thin on airplanes. If the ribs are damaged/cut/broken, that brings up the structual integrity question. Repairing and replacing
37 Tristarsteve: Yes OCU is inside the BA TBA hangar at LHR. A Boeing repair team are making it as good a s new (well as good a sit was last month!)
38 Dalmd88: That doesn't look that bad. Even with the frame damage, and there is. It looks like they hit it just below a previous repair. rip the old one off and
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