Boeing 737: TUI jet traveling from Bristol to Gran Canaria suffers auto-throttle malfunction during take-off

The TUI Boeing 7373 aircraft was set to travel from Bristol Airport to Gran Canaria on March 4 when it cleared the end of the runway by just 10 feet, according to the Daily Mail. It came as a software glitch onboard meant that the jet attempted take-off with too little power.

The plane lifted off of the ground with just 260 metres of runway left, with the plane lifting only 10ft above the tarmac. It then flew at an altitude of less than 100ft above the nearby A38 road. According to reports, the plane was travelling at 150kts when the wheels lifted off of the ground, meaning that the aircraft would only have three seconds left before running out of runway.

The incident is under investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch of the Department of Transport (AAIB). A report by the AAIB said: “A Boeing 737-800 completed a takeoff from Runway 09 at Bristol Airport with insufficient thrust to meet regulated performance.” The report added that the glitch came after the aircraft’s auto-throttle function disengaged during take-off. The Daily Mail reports that neither pilot noticed the lack of power to achieve a successful take-off.

A TUI spokesperson said: “We have worked closely with the authorities to provide all available information. The AAIB recommendations and learnings resulting from this take-off will support the whole aviation sector and other airlines. The safety of our passengers and crew is always our highest priority.”

It comes as Boeing comes under fire for safety issues onboard its aircraft. Concerns were raised on January 5 when a door plug blew off of an Alaska Airline flight shortly after take-off.

Whistleblowers have since come forward to voice their concerns about the safety standards of Boeing planes. In the United States, the Justice Department is weight up options to file federal charges against the company.