A British Airways flight was nearly lost to a disaster over Canary Wharf after a critical cockpit failure.
Flight BA919, an Airbus A320 traveling from Düsseldorf to Heathrow, encountered an air data system failure while cruising at 4,000 feet on July 6. The malfunction triggered a stall warning, prompting the crew to declare a PAN PAN and execute a go‑around.
During the subsequent approach, another stall warning surfaced at approximately 3,000 feet. The crew performed an abrupt recovery maneuver, descending to about 2,200 feet before rejoining the approach path.
The situation escalated when the crew upgraded the emergency call to Mayday. The aircraft landed safely about half an hour after the initial turn‑around, with no further incidents.
Investigators classified the event as a loss of control in flight, attributing it to pilot‑induced factors. The failure of the alternate data record system led to the initial stall warning, and the abrupt recovery contributed to the Mayday declaration.
After the first officer was unable to resolve the issue, the captain physically intervened in the cockpit. The captain has since been placed on stress leave.
The incident has been described as the most serious near‑miss in the United Kingdom in recent years. The Civil Aviation Authority has declined to comment on the ongoing review, and British Airways has been approached for further statements.
