LONDON – The engines failed to respond on the British Airways plane shortly before it crash landed at London's Heathrow airport, a preliminary accident report said Friday.
Two miles before touchdown, the engines did not respond for a demand to increase thrust, according to the report by Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch.
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"The aircraft speed reduced and the aircraft descended onto the grass short of the paved runway surface," the report said.
Investigators will now focus on a more detailed analysis of flight recorder information to examine the range of other systems on the plane that might have influenced the engine operations.
The British Airways Boeing 777 made a crunching touchdown short of the runway on Thursday, ripping off the plane's landing gear and severely damaging the two engines and wings.
Nineteen injuries were reported among the 152 people aboard. The crumpled aircraft remained at the end of one of Heathrow's two runways Friday.
British Airways said it expected to operate all of its long-haul flights from Heathrow on Friday and 90 percent of short-haul operations.
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