British Airways flight called mayday on approach to Heathrow

A British Airways aircraft broadcast a mayday distress alert as it approached Heathrow Airport on July 6 following two stall warnings, according to a statement from France's accident investigation authority. The Airbus A320, en route from Dusseldorf, Germany, had experienced the warning signals prior to landing without further incident.

The UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has labeled the event as a serious incident and is conducting an investigation. A British Airways representative confirmed the airline is supporting the AAIB's inquiry and cannot provide additional information at this point. The French Air Safety Investigation Authority, known as the BEA, reported that a system failure in the data system caused the stall alert.

The crew then switched to an alternate law, a flight mode that disables some automated flight protection systems. Another stall warning was reported at an altitude of 3,000 feet, which, according to experts, likely occurred just miles from the airport. The urgency call was upgraded to a mayday, indicating imminent danger. The BEA cited a statement from the AAIB but did not verify its origin.

The AAIB issued a statement saying, "The AAIB is investigating a serious incident involving a commercial aircraft which occurred on 6 July on approach to Heathrow airport." The investigation will be correspondence-based, meaning no field teams will be dispatched. Aviation safety investigator David Gleave stated that various forms of mayday calls exist, and issuing an urgency message was not uncommon.

He added that it was unusual for such a significant issue to trigger a mayday call, but captains have discretion in their decision-making due to factors like sick passengers on board.