AA51 LHR-DFW 6/14 declares emegency, returns to LHR
Jun 14, 2013, 4:46 am
#1
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AA51 LHR-DFW 6/14 declares emegency, returns to LHR
Over Glasgow, squawked 7700, turned around and just landed in LHR with no aircraft coming in behind them on that runway.
Aircraft was given immediate landing clearance, no hold patterns, bypassing a lot of planes circling around London.
This is N721AN, a 773 delivered just 3 months ago.
If this was a critical emergency they could've landed in MAN, so I guess it's not that bad...
Anybody there? Can you report?
Aircraft was given immediate landing clearance, no hold patterns, bypassing a lot of planes circling around London.
This is N721AN, a 773 delivered just 3 months ago.
If this was a critical emergency they could've landed in MAN, so I guess it's not that bad...
Anybody there? Can you report?
Jun 14, 2013, 5:38 am
#2
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According to someone on that aircraft it was a medical emergency.
Jun 14, 2013, 6:10 am
#3
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Hmmm... is the policy to squawk 7700 on Medical? Is it airline-specific?
Jun 14, 2013, 6:17 am
#4
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Someone must know that for sure but definitely not me! 
That said, if they are declaring an emergency then 7700 does seem to be the correct transponder code to squawk. However I am definitely not a pilot or expert, just passing along the information I've read from a fellow member of another web community to which I belong who is on that flight trying to get home.
That said, if they are declaring an emergency then 7700 does seem to be the correct transponder code to squawk. However I am definitely not a pilot or expert, just passing along the information I've read from a fellow member of another web community to which I belong who is on that flight trying to get home.
Jun 14, 2013, 6:54 am
#5
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I also know someone on that flight who emailed me to say it was a medical emergency.
Jun 14, 2013, 7:12 am
#6
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Jun 14, 2013, 7:15 am
#7
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Considering it was over GLA and as AA aircraft with medical emergencies have landed at GLA before I'd guess this might be a security related incident.
Jun 14, 2013, 7:16 am
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Jun 14, 2013, 7:18 am
#9
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The vast majority of 7700s are medical
Jun 14, 2013, 7:30 am
#10
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Learn something new everyday
This was relatively shortly after takeoff, and the aircraft didn't land in GLA or MAN which were closer, so I thought it might be something else.
Anyway, glad the aircraft is ok, and hopefully everyone's feeling better.
This was relatively shortly after takeoff, and the aircraft didn't land in GLA or MAN which were closer, so I thought it might be something else.
Anyway, glad the aircraft is ok, and hopefully everyone's feeling better.
Jun 14, 2013, 7:33 am
#11
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I though the UK diversion airport for 'security' incidents was Stansted - on the basis that it has more room and so easier to isolate the plane and you wouldn't want to tie up LHR with a security incident.
The absence of an RAF escort also minimises the chance it was security related.
Jun 14, 2013, 7:39 am
#12
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Declaring an emergency would get you landing priority too...
Jun 14, 2013, 9:14 am
#13
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I though the UK diversion airport for 'security' incidents was Stansted - on the basis that it has more room and so easier to isolate the plane and you wouldn't want to tie up LHR with a security incident.
The absence of an RAF escort also minimises the chance it was security related.
The absence of an RAF escort also minimises the chance it was security related.
Just find it strange why they would need to turn all the way back to LHR for a medical emergency....unless maybe one of the flight crew wasn't feeling too good.
Jun 14, 2013, 9:41 am
#14
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Ok, bad joke, but there could be truth to it!
Hope all turned out OK.
Jun 14, 2013, 9:42 am
#15
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Don't they have a relief pilot on that flight? If so, I can see them turning back to LHR to "swap out" a crew member if one was ill but it surely wouldn't be an emergency in terms of risk to the aircraft's safety because they would still have enough crew at that point. If, however, the emergency was the medical condition itself then it would make more sense to land as quickly as possible.