BA 747 catches fire in Spain.

CWL757 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:16 pm

A BA 744 being scrapped in Castellon has caught fire.
https://www.levante-emv.com/castello/20 ... RRvSUeJYDw

steveinbc · Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:22 pm

How distressing to see such a beautiful bird in flames

ZuluTime · Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:23 pm

I wonder if it was still insured?

CWL757 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:27 pm

Rumoured to be G-CIVD

davidjohnson6 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:28 pm

Perhaps some sort of electrical fault ?

CWL757 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:32 pm

davidjohnson6 wrote:
Perhaps some sort of electrical fault ?

It certainly looks it. Looks quite close to the circuit breaker panel in the cockpit maybe?

vhtje · Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:33 pm

Source:SpeedbirdTV

zeke · Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:35 pm

CWL757 wrote:
A BA 744 being scrapped in Castellon has caught fire.
https://www.levante-emv.com/castello/20 ... RRvSUeJYDw

Unlike to be a BA aircraft still if it’s being scrapped, it may have the livery however retirement has been reached.

CWL757 wrote:
Rumoured to be G-CIVD

G-COVID, how 2020 !!

EI320 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:37 pm

BA resorting to rather extreme measures to ensure these 744s don't return to service...

CWL757 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:40 pm

vhtje wrote:
Source:SpeedbirdTV

Thanks, weren't sure how to post a photo.

Polot · Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:41 pm

I think BA has the perfect plane to sell to Avatar Airlines now.

zeke wrote:
Unlike to be a BA aircraft still if it’s being scrapped, it may have the livery however retirement has been reached.

Looking at it it may have been less “scrapping” and more BA stripping out interior fixtures before handing over to final scrapper.

A388 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:42 pm

How could an electrical fault have happened in such a case?

A388

Spacepope · Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:52 pm

EI320 wrote:
BA resorting to rather extreme measures to ensure these 744s don't return to service...

Yeah, but is it a write-off?

btfarrwm · Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:01 pm

Spacepope wrote:
EI320 wrote:
BA resorting to rather extreme measures to ensure these 744s don't return to service...

Yeah, but is it a write-off?

It's either a write-off or a convertible.

JannEejit · Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:04 pm

btfarrwm wrote:
Spacepope wrote:
EI320 wrote:
BA resorting to rather extreme measures to ensure these 744s don't return to service...

Yeah, but is it a write-off?

It's either a write-off or a convertible.

The latest 747 restaurant conversion with rooftop cocktail terrace, right there !

Ziyulu · Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:10 pm

It will buff right out.

PlymSpotter · Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:20 pm

I wonder if they had screened the windows. Perhaps could have been sunlight magnified onto a surface causing combustion.

oldJoe · Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:23 pm

EI320 wrote:
BA resorting to rather extreme measures to ensure these 744s don't return to service...

Not the best way for contribution to global warming.
Looks more to me that the scrappers were smoking some sort of special stuff wich ran out of control

Ziyulu · Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:30 pm

First a KLM 744, and now a BA 744, what's next? LH, CA, or KE?

Revelation · Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:43 pm

This airplane will self destruct in 10 seconds...

vhtje · Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:43 pm

Airways magazine is reporting that the fire is contained:

https://airwaysmag.com/airlines/stored-british-airways-boeing-747-400-catches-fire-in-castellon-airport/?fbclid=IwAR0gVM7GW4gXkKPjTfDdAm-BOFE_SfrlUhh1Zg4HJiUtl6b87x4qyYPWYOY

Slightly awkward wording, "There have been no injuries to regret"

vicentezc · Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:48 pm

Video in Twitter: https://twitter.com/flynewsmagazine/sta ... 85480?s=21

Breathe · Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:03 pm

vhtje wrote:
Source:SpeedbirdTV

Is this the one 747 they have in the One World livery? If so, this is (was!) the last 747 that I've flown on. What a sad sight it is to see these flying machines meeting their demise.

DrPaul · Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:08 pm

ZuluTime wrote:
I wonder if it was still insured?

Surely not an insurance job, like those old empty buildings that suspiciously go on fire?

CWL757 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:26 pm

Breathe wrote:
vhtje wrote:
Source:SpeedbirdTV

Is this the one 747 they have in the One World livery? If so, this is (was!) the last 747 that I've flown on. What a sad sight it is to see these flying machines meeting their demise.

No, they had quite a number of 744s in ONEWORLD livery.

bennett123 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:27 pm

According to levente;

As explained by the provincial Fire Deputy, Abel Ibáñez, the fire started when airport operators were working on the plane, and it is believed, in principle, that it could have occurred after cutting an oxygen pipe and setting fire, although the causes are being investigated

Airways also confirm G-CIVD.

Antarius · Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:29 pm

The tail number irony is priceless.

garpd · Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:35 pm

Bit of speed tape and a butt load of Little Trees, and it'll be ready for lease work!

Seriously though, this is such an sad end for a bird that has faithfully carried her passengers to their destination for so many years. She deserved better.

bennett123 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:37 pm

According to my records G-CIVD, G-CIVH and G-CIVV are all at CDT.

Sokes · Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:48 pm

garpd wrote:
Seriously though, this is such an sad end for a bird that has faithfully carried her passengers to their destination for so many years. She deserved better.

Like this?
https://youtu.be/qdKEC9kGhts

WesternDC6B · Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:52 pm

davidjohnson6 wrote:
Perhaps some sort of electrical fault ?

As a variation on the “that’ll buff right out” jokes, maybe, given the likelihood of Rolls Royce engines, it was Lucas electrics? :old:

sandyb123 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 5:05 pm

bennett123 wrote:
According to my records G-CIVD, G-CIVH and G-CIVV are all at CDT.

Only G-CIVD carried the OneWorld livery so it's definitely her. As others have noted, the COVID similarity sums up 2020 pretty well!

On a serious note, the avionics bay and cockpit firmware is one of the most valuable parts of a scrapped aircraft so it will be interesting to know what is salvageable and if it was insured during scrapping. Definitely off IAG's books.

Sandyb123

FCOTSTW · Mon Nov 23, 2020 5:08 pm

ZuluTime wrote:
I wonder if it was still insured?

It might have been. From the picture, it appears that the engines are still installed and they are worth some good money.

Boeing175 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 5:12 pm

If the airframe is G-CIVD and as reported the fire was today, 23rd November, surely the irony cant be lost that the same airframe made it's first flight on the 23rd November 1994!

FCOTSTW · Mon Nov 23, 2020 5:17 pm

bennett123 wrote:
According to levente;

As explained by the provincial Fire Deputy, Abel Ibáñez, the fire started when airport operators were working on the plane, and it is believed, in principle, that it could have occurred after cutting an oxygen pipe and setting fire, although the causes are being investigated

Airways also confirm G-CIVD.

Can you imagine it having on your employee record "set fire to a 747?"

kann123air · Mon Nov 23, 2020 5:19 pm

One of the best flights of my life was on G-CIVD; DFW-LHR as BA192 in June 2012. Tough to see her life end this way.

miegapele · Mon Nov 23, 2020 6:07 pm

So, Is it write-off or can be fixed?

smokeybandit · Mon Nov 23, 2020 6:21 pm

miegapele wrote:
So, Is it write-off or can be fixed?

Darn, you beat me to it.

EI320 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:22 pm

vhtje wrote:
Airways magazine is reporting that the fire is contained:

https://airwaysmag.com/airlines/stored-british-airways-boeing-747-400-catches-fire-in-castellon-airport/?fbclid=IwAR0gVM7GW4gXkKPjTfDdAm-BOFE_SfrlUhh1Zg4HJiUtl6b87x4qyYPWYOY

Slightly awkward wording, "There have been no injuries to regret"

"Castellon airport firefighters worked together to extinguish a fire on an aircraft"

If they had each worked individually, rather than together, there may have been a lot more to regret.

kaitak · Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:41 pm

Not to be pedantic or anything (me? surely not!) but can an aircraft which has been de-registered and permanently withdrawn from use (and therefore one can presume insurance cover has ended?) be declared a write-off?

"Writing off" is an insurance term and BA is hardly expecting any payout.

(Maybe some insurance cover is in place to cover those working on the dismantling of the aircraft, but this presumably would not be covered by BA?)

CWL757 · Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:49 pm

A couple of videos of CIVD departing for Spain for those interested.
https://youtu.be/CxFGedGFjQ8
https://youtu.be/CfAEidunakA

petertenthije · Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:50 pm

kaitak wrote:
Not to be pedantic or anything (me? surely not!) but can an aircraft which has been de-registered and permanently withdrawn from use (and therefore one can presume insurance cover has ended?) be declared a write-off?

Sure it can.

Clearly it won’t be written of by BA/IAG. But the scrapper will have a write-off. Presumably they were expecting to make money of (cockpit) parts, which will now no longer be possible.

JannEejit · Mon Nov 23, 2020 10:13 pm

EI320 wrote:
vhtje wrote:
Airways magazine is reporting that the fire is contained:

https://airwaysmag.com/airlines/stored-british-airways-boeing-747-400-catches-fire-in-castellon-airport/?fbclid=IwAR0gVM7GW4gXkKPjTfDdAm-BOFE_SfrlUhh1Zg4HJiUtl6b87x4qyYPWYOY

Slightly awkward wording, "There have been no injuries to regret"

"Castellon airport firefighters worked together to extinguish a fire on an aircraft"

If they had each worked individually, rather than together, there may have been a lot more to regret.

That's just the way the language translates to English. It's not actually how it's worded.

audidudi · Mon Nov 23, 2020 10:14 pm

From by BA source..."they were cutting out some windows for wall art and the insulation caught fire!"

Arion640 · Tue Nov 24, 2020 12:40 am

audidudi wrote:
From by BA source..."they were cutting out some windows for wall art and the insulation caught fire!"

From which source?

Boeing757100 · Tue Nov 24, 2020 3:11 am

Polot wrote:
I think BA has the perfect plane to sell to Avatar Airlines now.

zeke wrote:
Unlike to be a BA aircraft still if it’s being scrapped, it may have the livery however retirement has been reached.

Looking at it it may have been less “scrapping” and more BA stripping out interior fixtures before handing over to final scrapper.

I thought Avatar is just a dream since most of their LOIs failed, and likely their LOI for the 744 from BA will fail.

crownvic · Tue Nov 24, 2020 4:34 am

As was previously mentioned, I doubt this aircraft was in any form of "scrapping" mode, with the engines still slung. That is where most of the value of an WFU aircraft is. The engines are generally the very first thing removed from any aircraft that has been permanently parked.

bennett123 · Tue Nov 24, 2020 8:22 am

I suspect that this will accelerate the parting out of this aircraft. They will clearly need to investigate this incident first.

Carlos01 · Tue Nov 24, 2020 9:08 am

My last 747 flight, probably for good, was 12 AUG 2018, BA57 LHR to JNB. Would anyone here be able to find out what plane it was?

GCT64 · Tue Nov 24, 2020 9:35 am

Carlos01 wrote:
My last 747 flight, probably for good, was 12 AUG 2018, BA57 LHR to JNB. Would anyone here be able to find out what plane it was?

According to Mr. Bowler's fine site, it was:

12 Aug 2018: BA57 (c/s BAW57K) G-BYGG dep LHR 2055 GMT (2155 Local)

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