On July 25th, 2000, the world witnessed one of the most tragic accidents in the history of aviation. The flight was Air France Flight 4590, a supersonic Concorde destined for New York’s JFK International Airport, carrying 109 passengers and crew.
In what should have been an ordinary, routine flight, an almost spotless 30-year safety record of the Concorde was shattered in just 121 seconds, leading to the demise of the legendary aircraft.
The Concorde, one of the most iconic aircraft ever built, had never suffered a fatal accident in its history. It was the epitome of engineering excellence, capable of flying at speeds of over 2,180 km/h (1,354 mph), almost twice the speed of sound.
But on this fateful day, everything went wrong. From the very beginning of the flight, the pilots encountered a series of problems that spiraled out of control, eventually leading to a catastrophic disaster.
The Concorde’s design included a delta wing, which was ideal for supersonic flight, but it came with a crucial caveat—high speeds were needed for takeoff and landing. This placed enormous stress on the tires, which were already known to be a weak point for the Concorde. The aircraft had experienced tire bursts before, but this time, the consequences would be catastrophic.
The flight's crew was experienced, with the captain having accumulated almost 17,000 flying hours and the first officer with 3,700. The first officer had trained on the Concorde and was ready to take on this challenge. However, during the pre-flight preparations, things started to go wrong.
One of the key issues was a discrepancy in the weight of the plane. Despite the pilots’ best efforts to correct it, the aircraft was heavily loaded, causing concerns about its performance during takeoff. The plane was close to its maximum takeoff weight, which would later become a major factor in the crash.
The captain was fully aware of the challenging weather conditions at the time, including thunderstorms that caused considerable turbulence. Despite this, the crew pressed on, fully aware that they had a tight window to ensure a successful takeoff. As they prepared for departure, they faced another issue: one of the thrust reversers on the aircraft was malfunctioning. While it wasn’t a critical issue that would keep the plane grounded, it added to the already mounting pressure to ensure a smooth flight.
As the aircraft taxied down the runway at Charles de Gaulle Airport, everything seemed to be going according to plan. The crew had received their clearance for takeoff, and the Airbus A320 was moving down the runway with full thrust.
However, as the aircraft accelerated, a shocking turn of events occurred. A short metal strip from a DC-10, which had taken off just moments earlier, had fallen onto the runway. Unfortunately, this metal strip went unnoticed by the crew.
In a matter of seconds, disaster struck. The Concorde rolled over the metal strip, which caused a tire on the left-hand landing gear to explode. Debris from the tire struck the underside of the wing, puncturing the fuel tank. Within seconds, the fuel ignited, and a massive fire broke out on the left side of the aircraft. At this point, the pilots were in full panic mode. With the aircraft now engulfed in flames, the Concorde's systems began to fail one by one.
The aircraft’s engines, vital for takeoff and flight, were now severely damaged. Despite the failure of two engines on the left side, the pilots continued with their attempt to take off. The aircraft’s speed increased, and they reached a critical point where taking off was no longer an option.
The captain attempted to rotate the aircraft, but the Concorde’s tail scraped the runway due to the lower-than-usual takeoff speed, resulting in a tail strike. This created additional stress on the aircraft’s structure and made the climb out of the airport even more difficult.
While the crew tried to deal with the escalating situation, the aircraft’s fire continued to spread. The fire not only damaged the engines but also affected key flight systems, including the landing gear and the hydraulic systems. The aircraft could not retract the landing gear, which meant the fire was sustained by the friction generated from the exposed wheels. This added another layer of complexity to an already volatile situation.
Despite everything going wrong, the aircraft took off. However, the flames continued to burn and spread, affecting the fuselage and the flight control systems. The aircraft began veering off course, and the pilots fought to keep the aircraft in the air, but they could not maintain control. The flight data recorder revealed that the aircraft reached a height of just 100 feet before it started to roll uncontrollably. The pilots’ struggle to keep the plane level was futile. The fire, combined with the damaged engines, ultimately led to the aircraft’s loss of control.
The Concorde, with its iconic design and incredible history, crashed into a hotel just west of Charles de Gaulle Airport. All 109 people on board, including passengers and crew, perished in the crash. On the ground, four people in the hotel also lost their lives.
The accident marked the end of the Concorde's illustrious career in the skies and prompted the French authorities to immediately withdraw the aircraft’s airworthiness certificate.
In the aftermath, an investigation into the cause of the crash revealed a series of crucial findings. The missing spacer on the left landing gear, which had caused the tire to burst, was determined to be a significant contributing factor.
The failure of the tire led to the fuel tank rupture, which caused the fire that would ultimately bring the aircraft down. Investigators also discovered that the aircraft’s maintenance procedures had failed to identify the risk of tire bursts, despite several previous incidents with the Concorde.
In the aftermath of the accident, safety measures were implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future. Changes to the design of the landing gear, the addition of Kevlar lining to fuel tanks, and improved inspection procedures were among the key improvements made to the Concorde's operations. However, the damage was done. The Concorde would never fly again.
This tragedy not only marked the end of an era for supersonic passenger travel but also served as a stark reminder of how small failures, such as a metal strip on the runway, can have catastrophic consequences. The crash of Air France Flight 4590 serves as a tragic testament to the vulnerability of even the most advanced aircraft and the importance of meticulous safety procedures.
The Concorde disaster remains one of the most memorable moments in aviation history, with its complex chain of events leading to a preventable tragedy. The lessons learned from this accident have shaped the future of aviation safety and continue to resonate with those in the industry today.
