Wizz Air flight 'two seconds from disaster' at Luton Airport after near-fatal pilot error

A Wizz Air aircraft carrying more than 160 passengers and crew came within two seconds of catastrophe at Luton Airport after a critical pilot error during take-off.

Flight 5411, bound for Athens in April last year, became airborne with a mere 162 metres of tarmac to spare, according to findings from the Air Accident Investigation Branch published today.

Telegraph analysis of FlightRadar24 tracking data indicates the Boeing 737 Max was travelling at 146 knots when it left the ground, meaning the jet would have overrun the runway had it remained earthbound for just two more seconds.

The crew had accepted a shortcut offered by air traffic controllers, allowing them to begin their departure from partway along the runway rather than using its full length.

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This type of manoeuvre, known as an intersection departure, requires pilots to recalculate their V speeds – the critical velocity figures that determine when an aircraft can safely become airborne.

Although the flight crew believed they had correctly updated these calculations in the Flight Management Computer to account for the reduced runway distance, investigators found the figures had not been properly entered.

The error resulted in insufficient engine power being applied, causing an extended take-off roll and sluggish initial climb.

The aircraft passed over the runway's far end at a height of just 13 feet, falling well short of the 35-foot minimum mandated by aviation safety regulations to ensure adequate clearance over obstacles.

The Greece-bound service was transporting 162 passengers along with six crew members when the incident occurred.

Despite the alarming takeoff, the flight proceeded to Athens without further incident.

As well as this, the aircraft completed three additional journeys that same day.

Had the aircraft experienced any loss of thrust during the take-off sequence, it might have been unable to halt on the remaining paved surface if the crew chose to abort or failed to achieve safe obstacle clearance heights if they continued.

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Following the investigation, the operator reviewed its procedures and distributed fresh guidance to flight crews.

Ascend Airways, the British charter company that had been operating the service on behalf of Wizz Air UK, went into administration earlier this year. The firm, which provided aircraft and crews to larger carriers during peak periods, reportedly owed creditors approximately £37million when it collapsed.

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