Incident Boeing 747-436 G-BNLT, Tuesday 26 December 1995
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Date:Tuesday 26 December 1995
Time:20:32
Type:Silhouette image of generic B744 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Boeing 747-436
Owner/operator:British Airways
Registration: G-BNLT
MSN: 24630/842
Year of manufacture:1991
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 341
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Minor, repaired
Location:Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport, RJ (GIG/SBGL) -   Brazil
Phase: Pushback / towing
Nature:Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport, RJ (GIG/SBGL)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: AAIB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
With the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) in operation, the aircraft was in the process of being pushed
back from the stand and the crew were starting the engines when, as the No 2 air conditioning pack
was reportedly selected on, an explosion occurred in the APU bay at the tail of the fuselage. A
(caution) message was noticed by the crew on the EICAS (engine indication crew alerting system)
screen relating to the APU and, although there was no APU fire warning, the APU fire drill was
carried out in accordance with the QRH (quick reference handbook). This, however, did not
extinguish the fire due to the APU bay doors having been 'blown open' thus rendering the fire
suppression and fire detection systems in this bay ineffective. At about this time the crew were
advised by the ground movements controller that flames were visible from the area of the APU. The
fire was extinguished by ramp personnel, operating from an elevated mobile platform, using hand-held dry powder extinguishers.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: AAIB
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5423021ae5274a1317000b8b/Boeing_747-436__G-BNLT_02-96.pdf

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/5644401 (Photo)

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
14-Apr-2025 18:43 Justanormalperson Added
14-Apr-2025 18:44 ASN Updated [Accident report, ]

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