1985 Manchester Airport disaster
The 1985 Manchester Airport disaster occurred when British Airtours Flight 28M (officially known as Flight 328), an international passenger flight, was en-route from Manchester Airport to Corfu International Airport and caught fire on takeoff on 22 August, 1985. The accident resulted in 55 fatalities.
The aircraft involved, G-BGJL named River Orrin photographed three months before the fire | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 22 August 1985, 07:13 BST |
| Summary | Fire on the ground caused by uncontained engine failure |
| Site | Manchester Airport Manchester, England 53°21′4″N 2°16′54″W |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 737-236 Advanced |
| Aircraft name | River Orrin (formerly Goldfinch) |
| Operator | British Airtours |
| IATA flight No. | KT328 |
| ICAO flight No. | BKT28M |
| Call sign | BEATOURS 28 MIKE |
| Registration | G-BGJL |
| Flight origin | Manchester Airport |
| Destination | Corfu International Airport |
| Occupants | 137 |
| Passengers | 131 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Fatalities | 55 (54 on site, 1 subsequently in the hospital (53 passengers, 2 crew)) |
| Injuries | 15 (serious injuries) |
| Survivors | 82 |
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-236 registered G-BGJL, previously named Goldfinch, but at the time of the accident named River Orrin, was flown by British Airtours, a wholly owned subsidiary of British Airways. It had 131 passengers and six crew on the manifest. During the takeoff roll, a loud thump was heard, and takeoff was aborted. An engine failure had generated a fire and the captain ordered evacuation.: 102 The engine failure was later traced to an incorrectly repaired combustor causing the turbine disc to shatter and puncture the wing fuel tanks. Most of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation, not burns; 82 people survived.
An aviation analyst said the accident was "a defining moment in the history of civil aviation" because it brought about industry-wide changes to the seating layout near emergency exits, fire-resistant seat covers, floor lighting, fire-resistant wall and ceiling panels, more fire extinguishers and clearer evacuation rules.