4:42:17 - Controller : “ Air France 4590 , runway 26 right , wind zero 90 knots , authorized takeoff .” 4:42:21 - Co-pilot : “ 4590 taking off 26 right ; ( sound of switch ). 4:42:24 - Pilot : “ Is everyone ready ?” 4:42:25 - Co-pilot : “ Yes .” 4:42:26 - Mechanic : “ Yes .” 4:42:26 - Pilot : “ Up to 100 , 150 ; ( followed by unclear words , the sound of switch ). 4:42:31 - “ Top ; ( noise similar to engines increasing power ). 4:42:35 - Unidentified voice on radio channel : “ Go on , Christian .” A chain of events starting from a minor engineering slip was about to make the aerospace industry rethink of their safety protocols . During the takeoff , a piece of debris- a titanium alloy strip , from a Continental airliner which had used the same runway hours earlier- cut and ruptured one of the Concorde ’ s left tires . As the aircraft accelerated down runway 26R , this tire disintegrated and a piece of it struck the underside of the wing , where fuel tank 5 was located . 4:43:13 - Controller : “ Concorde zero ... 4590 , you have flames ( unclear ) you have flames behind you .” 4:43:16 - Unidentified voice ( simultaneously on the radio ): “ Right ; ( background noise changes , the sound of switch ). 4:43:16 - Mechanic : “ Stop ( unclear ).” 4:43:18 - Co-pilot : “ Well received .” 4:43:20 - Mechanic : “ Breakdown , eng , breakdown engine two ; ( two sounds of switches , followed by fire alarm ). 4:43:22 - Unidentified voice on radio : “ It ’ s burning badly , huh ; ( Gong )
A pressure wave inside the tank caused the rupture of the forward strike of the tire and then fuel poured out from the tank and ignited . The Concorde had already reached a velocity where it could not stop itself safely by the end of the runway ; so , it lifted off the runway with flames hanging from the left wing . With flames rising from one wing , the plane flew around as the pilot sought to make an immediate emergency landing at a nearby airfield . The fire in one of the two jet engines on the left side of the plane spread immediately to the second engine , taking the plane out of control to the pilot .
Just one minute and 17 seconds after the pilot was told that the plane was on fire , the plane crashed on to a hotel in the small town of Gonesse . One hundred and thirteen people lost their lives and Air France encountered a loss of $ 125 million .
Air France Flight 4590 was the Concord ’ s only fatal accident in its 31-year history , a record that no other commercial aircraft has matched to date . The Concorde qualified as the safest airliner in the world with a record of zero accidents per km travelled prior to the accident .
The Air France flight 4590 led to many modifications in Concorde air crafts , which included more secure electrical controls , Kevlar lining to fuel tanks and specially developed burstresistant tires . These new and improved tires were a major contribution to the aircraft manufacturing industry .
This tragedy led to reforms in the aviation safety protocols . Also , subsequent criticism and public opinion led to the halting of Concorde flights in 2003 as People were much concerned about safety than speed or efficiency . Many monuments were built remembering those people who lost their lives but most importantly engineers and technicians realized the gravity of flight safety both in the sky as well as on the ground .
Ranitha Mataraarachchi First Year
General Programme
Source -www . history . com
16 University of Peradeniya Gauge Magazine