A Boeing jet carrying 163 passengers from Bristol to Gran Canaria cleared the end of the runway but just ten feet in a near-catastrophic glitch, a report has revealed.
The TUI flight from Bristol Airport on March 4 struggled to take off because of a fault which meant it could not accelerate properly - getting clear of the end of the tarmac by just seconds.
The Boeing 737-8K5 jet had just 260 metres of runway remaining when it managed to take off, then passed over the nearby major A38 road at less than 100 feet.
A special bulletin issued by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) over the “serious” incident said: “The aircraft took off from Runway 09 with a thrust setting significantly below that required to achieve the correct takeoff performance.”
Investigators said the near-miss came about because the autothrust had disengaged for take off, and the thrust was manually set by the crew at less than the required amount.
Neither pilot then noticed that the thrust was set incorrectly.
A review of the flight’s error log showed 11 errors, five of which were related to the aircraft's autothrottle system.
Investigators said the manufacturer Boeing was aware of the fault, saying the system had “a long history of nuisance disconnects during takeoff mode engagements.”
However newer models of the technical equipment have since been rolled out, with Boeing recommending flight operators to upgrade, the report states.
Investigators said: “It is well known that humans are poor at detecting acceleration rates and recognising that their takeoff run is not matching the calculated performance.
“Performance issues can be insidious and invisible to the crew until very late in the takeoff roll.”
A TUI spokesperson said: “We have worked closely with the authorities to provide all available information.
“The AAIB recommendations and learnings resulting from this take-off will support the whole aviation sector and other airlines. The safety of our passengers and crew is always our highest priority.”
It comes after a report revealed that a suspected drone came within 50 feet of crashing into a British Airways plane as it departed Heathrow for India.
The incident on February 26 at 10,500 feet could be the highest-ever near miss recorded between a BA plane and a drone.
The near miss just before 2.50pm involved a Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner carrying more than 200 passengers, according to an aviation safety report.
The flight had departed Heathrow minutes earlier for Chennai in India.
