Heathrow International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

London
Wednesday, May 14, 1997 12:15 BST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On May 14, 1997 at 1215 British Standard Time, a Boeing 747, registered to Air Canada as C-GAGM, and a Boeing 777, registered to United Airlines as N770UA, collided on a taxiway at London Heathrow International Airport, London, England. Minor damage occurred to the left wingtip of the B747 and substantial damage occurred to the right wingtip of the B777. None of the 292 people on the B747 or the 281 people on the B777 were injured. The accident is being investigated by the British Air Accidents Investigation Board, Farnborough, England.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/14/1997
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Bering Standard Time
Event City LONDON
Event State --
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 0000
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HEATHROW INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 573
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency Unknown
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 0
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 15 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Apr 7 2001 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number -- N770UA
NTSB Number DCA97WA047A DCA97WA047B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 129: Foreign Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Minor Substantial
Aircraft Fire Unknown Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing Boeing
Aircraft Model 747-400 B777
Aircraft Series Identifier 747-400 B777
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight -- --
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown U.S. Registered/Foreign Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft -- --
Number of Engines 4 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Unknown
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection -- --
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed No Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name -- --
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address PLACE AIR CANADA 500, RENE LEV BOX 66100
Operator City MONTREAL CHICAGO
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60666
Operator Code AC UA
Owner has at least one certificate None Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Unknown Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:16PM Jan 10 2001 9:52AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --