One of the front-runners to take over Britain's air traffic control system was to blame for a potentially catastrophic incident involving an aircraft used by the Royal Family.
A jet belonging to the Royal Air Force 32 Royal Squadron came within minutes of engine failure after maintenance work by Serco, the leader of a consortium that is bidding to buy 46 per cent of National Air Traffic Services (Nats) in a highly controversial part-privatisation scheme.
Air traffic controllers and safety experts have warned repeatedly that safety in the skies could be compromised by the sell-off, but ministers have pressed ahead and a decision on the successful bidder is expected within days.
A confidential report by the Ministry of Defence into the engine failure incident on 6 November 1997, obtained by The Independent, found that Serco had failed to fit oil seals to important components in all four engines. Fifteen minutes into a training flight the pilot of the BAe 146 found that oil pressure was low in all the engines – two of which had to be shut down before the aircraft made an emergency landing at Stansted airport.
The report said that Serco – which still holds the contract to maintain the Royal Flight – undermined engineering standards and perpetuated bad practice. The document said supervision, training and equipment were "inadequate", communication was "poor" and staff did not follow procedures.
A spokesman for Serco pointed out that BMI British Midland, one of eight airlines involved in a "not-for-profit" rival bid for Nats, was involved in a similar incident in 1995.
The airline was fined £150,000 for failing to ensure that oil seals were fitted to both engines of a 737-400 and the Civil Aviation Authority subsequently changed engineering procedures throughout the industry.
The spokesman said it was important to emphasise that no members of the Royal Family were aboard during the flight in 1997. The "error" would have been detected if royal passengers had been travelling because there were particularly stringent departure procedures under such circumstances.
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