- Date
- June 7, 2004, 07:32 local (11:32 UTC)
- Place
- Washington, DC
- Injuries
- 218 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- G-VFLYAirbus Industrie A340-311
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Status
- Completed · report November 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 61561
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
The incorrect loading of baggage into the aft cargo compartment instead of the forward compartment, which resulted in aft CG light in-flight.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
On June 7, 2004, at about 0732 edt, a Virgin Atlantic Airbus A340-311, G-VFLY, operating as a 14CFR Part 129 scheduled passenger flight from Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD) to London Heathrow International Airport (LHR), was mis-loaded at IAD. The captain noticed an unusually rapid rotation at IAD, but continued the takeoff. Enroute the crew received two Fuel Excess Aft CG warnings, about 10 minutes apart, 2-1/2 hours into the flight. The gross weight CG indication was 34.0 and 34.2, respectively. He transferred all of the "trim tank" fuel forward, isolated the trim tank, and continued to LHR. Interviews with key ground personnel revealed that approximately seven tons of baggage was loaded in the aft cargo hold (positions 32-42) instead of the forward cargo hold (positions 23-26) as depicted on the load plan. There were 203 passengers, 12 cabin attendants, 2 flight crew, and 1 additional crewmember on board. There were no injuries and the airplane was not damaged.
Factual narrative
On June 7, 2004, about 0732 edt, a Virgin Atlantic Airbus A340-311, G-VFLY, operating as a 14CFR Part 129 scheduled passenger flight from Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD) to London Heathrow International Airport (LHR), was mis-loaded at IAD. The captain noticed an unusually rapid rotation at IAD, but continued the takeoff. Enroute the crew received two Fuel Excess Aft CG warnings, about 10 minutes apart, 2-1/2 hours into the flight. The gross weight CG indication was 34.0 and 34.2, respectively. He transferred all of the "trim tank" fuel forward, isolated the trim tank, and continued to LHR. Interviews with key ground personnel revealed that approximately seven tons of baggage was loaded in the aft cargo hold (positions 32-42) instead of the forward cargo hold (positions 23-26) as depicted on the load plan. There were 203 passengers, 12 cabin attendants, 2 flight crew, and 1 additional crewmember on board. There were no injuries and the airplane was not damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- G-VFLY
- Reported as
- Airbus Industrie A340-311
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 129
- Operator
- Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd
- Departed
- IAD · Washington, DC
- Destination
- LHR · London
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Injuries
- None
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Injuries
- None
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC)
- Wind
- 10° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Observed at
- IAD