A great book
“I calculated that if we continued on this path we would all die on impact”. This thought would be sure to focus any pilot’s attention but at just 500ft above Hounslow in a 250-ton jet with little or no power from the engines, Captain Peter Burkill faced thirty of the most important seconds of his life.
Thirty Seconds To Impact is co-authored by Peter Burkill, Captain of the British Airways Boeing 777 that crash-landed at Heathrow, and his wife Maria Burkill. It tells the story from their intimate viewpoints and gives readers an insight into what those seconds and hours on 17th January 2008 felt like to some of those most affected. It goes well beyond the day itself, describing the details of the affect that two failed engines had on the coming months of theirs and their families lives and how things would undoubtedly never be the same again.
The first few chapters of the book run step-by-step through the events leading up to the crash landing of flight BA38. It is not particularly technical in nature and focuses on the normality of the flight from Beijing up until the final approach to runway 27L at London’s Heathrow airport. With limited description around the conversation between the pilots the action continues at pace and you get swept along with ease. This is helped by the fact this is a recent and very memorable incident involving the first ever hull loss of a Boeing 777 in its twelve-year history and British Airways most serious incident in thirty years.
The remainder of the book focuses on the events following the incident and how they’re impact was felt. At times it feels like On the Edge, Richard Hammond’s personal account of his rocket car crash, which can, on occasion, take away from the independent analysis of the processes in place following an incident of this magnitude. The human story is explored with satisfactory success, but is backed up by the reality of the situation.
This account provides some Interesting insight into the extent of the complexities that any major incident of this nature encounters; you can’t just tidy up the physical debris and go back to work the next day as normal. This might seem an obvious statement but the book goes to lengths to illustrate that this is not entirely the case.
30 seconds to impact, is in essence, a personal story told by one of the individuals at the centre of the incident; it is not a technical analysis. For some, this may be a disappointment, but it does create a poignant read for any career pilot, especially when taking into consideration families and loved ones.
An interesting thinking point provoked by the book is that of Human factors. This is a relatively new concept that is now emerging as a vital consideration within the aviation industry and any airline. The study of human factors has developed rapidly and generally a greater understanding has come from the analysis of accidents and incidents. This account of the crash of BA38 and its aftermath could be seen to suggest that the issue stretches further than just the cockpit or cabin, it involves all employees and even their closest and dearest.
30 seconds to impact is a worthwhile read, even if it lacks the technical examination I had expected. In fact, it feels more like a personal memoir, but it successfully packs an emotional punch that is undeniable. I would say this is a must read for anyone interested in the personal and emotional effects of such an event.
