British Airways Jet Catches Fire After Pilot Mixes Up Left and Right Hands, Shuts Down Gatwick for 50 Minutes

A British Airways flight was forced to abort take-off and caught fire after the co-pilot mistakenly used the wrong hand to operate controls, leading to a thrust reduction and overheated brakes. The incident, which occurred on June 28 last year at London’s Gatwick Airport, resulted in a 50-minute closure of the UK’s second-busiest airport, according to an Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report released recently.

The Boeing 777 carrying 334 passengers and 13 crew members was flying when the co-pilot, reportedly “well-rested and feeling fine,” unintentionally reduced thrust by confusing his left and right hands. This led to an aborted takeoff, during which the aircraft came to a stop “some distance before the end of the runway,” the report stated. No injuries were reported.

The jet’s brakes overheated and caught fire, but firefighters quickly extinguished the flames. The co-pilot expressed “surprise in himself” over the mistake and was unable to explain the error.

The incident has prompted British Airways to issue updated safety guidelines. A notice circulated just four days before the event had already advised pilots to “pause before execution and cognitively consider what the required action is.” The airline has now incorporated “mis-selections” into its pre-flight briefings to prevent similar mishaps.

A British Airways spokesperson reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to safety, stating, “Our pilots brought the aircraft to a safe stop. We apologized to our customers and worked to get them on their way as quickly as possible.”

This rare error highlights the importance of procedural mindfulness even among seasoned professionals in high-stakes environments.

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