Engine problems to be probed in Heathrow crash

LONDON — The engines on a British Airways plane that crash-landed at London’s Heathrow airport failed to respond to a demand to increase thrust about two miles before it reached the runway, a preliminary accident report said Friday.

Using flight recorder information, investigators will focus on what might have caused the engine problem on British Airways Flight 038 from Beijing to London, according to the report from Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

The British Airways Boeing 777 made a crunching touchdown short of the runway 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 aircraft speed reduced and the aircraft descended onto the grass short of the paved runway surface,” the report said.

The captain of the jet paid tribute to his co-pilot, saying his actions to safely bring down the stricken plane were remarkable.

“Flying is about teamwork, and we had a fantastic team onboard,” Capt. Peter Burkill said at British Airways’ London headquarters, before singling out Senior First Officer John Coward, who was at the controls, for special praise.

More than 53 flights from Heathrow airport were canceled early Friday in the continuing disruption caused by the crash landing at Europe’s busiest airport. The crumpled plane remained on the runway Friday.

British Airways had said it expected to operate all of its long-haul flights from Heathrow on Friday and 90 percent of short-haul operations.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a team to assist in the investigation.

David Gleave, the chief safety investigator at Aviation Hazard Analysis, a private company, said a bird strike or fuel shortage would be among the possibilities investigators would consider as being behind the accident.