A British Airways flight stalled at 4,000 feet above London on July 6, an incident described as the most serious near miss in the UK in years, according to reports. The Airbus A320, operating as Flight BA919 from Dusseldorf, was over Canary Wharf when the event occurred.
The loss of control in flight was reportedly triggered when one of the aircraft's air data systems, which provide critical information such as airspeed, failed. This led to the plane stalling, a condition where the wings lift to a point that they can no longer support the aircraft's weight, risking a nosedive.
Reports indicate that the first officer attempted to rectify the situation, but the captain had to intervene directly to recover the aircraft. Sources familiar with the incident described the captain's physical intervention as "unheard of" within the aviation industry and stated the situation could have resulted in "hull loss," meaning the destruction or severe damage of the aircraft.
The incident has been officially reported as "Loss of Control In-flight" and labeled as "Pilot Induced." The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is reportedly investigating the serious incident, and British Airways has stated they are cooperating with the investigation. The captain involved is reportedly on stress leave.
British Airways operates approximately 19 direct flights per week between Dusseldorf Airport and London Heathrow, with a typical flight duration of 1 hour and 30 minutes.