Ep 2. The Heathrow Enigma

On the second episode of Mayday - Air Disasters season one, viewers are taken on a journey through an aviation mystery as experts try to piece together what caused the crash of British Airways Flight 38 at London's Heathrow Airport. The episode, titled "The Heathrow Enigma," begins with a dramatic recreation of the crash, which occurred on January 17th, 2008. The Boeing 777-200ER was flying from Beijing, China to Heathrow when it suddenly lost power and crashed onto the runway. Fortunately, all 152 passengers and crew members survived, but the incident left many wondering what had gone wrong.

The episode delves into the investigation that followed the crash, which was one of the most challenging in aviation history. The first task was to find out what had caused the sudden loss of power. Initially, investigators suspected that the plane had experienced a fuel problem. They knew that the engines had been running fine until just before landing, and then suddenly cut out. But when they examined the fuel on board, they found no contaminants or debris. So, they explored other possibilities.

Another theory was that ice had formed in the fuel lines, which can happen when the temperature drops below a certain level. However, this theory was also ruled out because there was no evidence of ice in the fuel tank. So, investigators turned their attention to the engines themselves.

The team discovered that the fuel/oil heat exchangers - devices designed to warm fuel as it passes through the engine - had become blocked. The exchangers were blocked by a substance known as wax, which had built up inside the lines. This wax had formed as a result of the use of a new type of fuel used in the aircraft. The type of fuel was designed to be more environmentally friendly, but it had unintended consequences on the aircraft's engine system.

But even with this significant breakthrough, investigators still had to figure out why this build-up hadn't been detected earlier. The answer lay in the fact that the sensors designed to alert pilots to blockages were not programmed to detect the type of wax created by the new fuel. The episode goes on to reveal how engineers and manufacturers were brought in to create an urgent fix to this problem before more planes could be affected.

Ultimately, the episode reminds viewers that aviation safety is always a work in progress. Every incident helps to uncover ways to make flying even safer. The Heathrow Enigma was a tragedy, but it also provided invaluable insights into how to avoid such incidents in the future.

Mayday - Air Disasters season one, episode two presents a detailed and riveting account of the events surrounding the Heathrow crash, and it's a must-watch for anyone interested in aviation safety. The episode uses a combination of expert interviews, first-hand accounts, and dramatic recreations to help viewers understand the events leading up to the crash and the investigative process that followed. It's a fascinating look into the complex world of aviation, and how even small details can have enormous consequences.