Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

North Atlantic Canada
Thursday, October 8, 1998 9:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On October 8, 1998, about 0900 eastern daylight time, a BAC-Aerospatiale Concorde 102, United Kingdom registry G-BOAC, operated by British Airways as flight 001, experienced a partial separation of the lower rudder while in cruise flight over the North Atlantic, off the coast of New Foundland, Canada. There were no injuries to the 3 United Kingdom certificated flight crewmembers, 6 flight attendants, or 62 passengers. Flight 001 departed from Heathrow Airport, London, United Kingdom. Flight 001 was operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan in international airspace at the time of the occurrence. Flight 001 was cruising at flight level 547 (54,700 feet), at an indicated speed of Mach of 2.0. The Total Air Temperature was a plus113 degrees Centigrade. The flight crew first noticed a thump felt throughout the airframe, followed by a buzz. Flight 001 continued to its destination of John F. Kennedy Airport, Jamaica, New York, and landed without incident. Post flight examination revealed that about 40 percent of the lower rudder was missing from the airplane. The separation occurred aft of the rudder pivot point. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the government of the United Kingdom. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) Department of Transport Royal Aerospace Establishment Farnborough, Hampshire England GU14 6TD

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 10/8/1998
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NORTH ATLANTIC
Event State --
Event Country CANADA
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Not Reported
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 71
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency Unknown
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 8 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number NYC99WA006
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 129: Foreign
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BAC-Aerospatiale
Aircraft Model CONCORDE 102
Aircraft Series Identifier CONCORDE 1
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site 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
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City UNITED KINGDOM
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EGLL
Departure City LONDON, UK
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KJFK
Destination City NEW YORK
Destination State NY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --