Witnesses in Arlington Heights report hearing a loud explosion, almost like a sonic boom, over Arlington Heights about 5:50 p.m. Sunday September 3, 2017. Other witnesses reported a bang, followed by rumbling.
Witnesses reported seeing flames from the #2 engine of a Boeing 747 heading northbound over the Ivy Hill neighborhood, which is located just northeast of the intersection of Arlington Heights Road and Rand Road. Witnesses reported booms, rumbling, and strange noise from the aircraft as it was spotted headed northbound. over Arlington Heights.
Boeing 747 Engine Position Numbers
(any four-engine position numbers)
#1 – port outer – left furthest from fuselage
#2 – port inner – left nearest fuselage
#3 – starboard inner – right nearest fuselage
#4 – starboard outer – right farthest from fuselage
According to Flightaware.com, British Airways Flight 294 (O’Hare to London Heathrow) plotted over Golf Road and Arlington Heights Road at an altitude of 4,500 feet at 5:48 p.m. after taking off
The aircraft plotted over Arlington Heights Road and Grove Street at 4,700 feet at 5:49 p.m.
The Boeing 747 plotted over Arlington Heights Road and Oakton Street at 5,200 feet at 5:49 p.m.
About the time of the explosion or bang heard at 5:49 p.m., the aircraft was over Arlington Heights Road and Hintz Road at an altitude of about 5,600 feet.
The pilot on British Airways reported they lost an engine and were experiencing vibrations.
The aircraft continued to ascend until about 7:19 p.m. after it was circling over Lake Michigan and possibly dumping fuel.
British Airways Flight 294 (BAW294) landed safely at O’Hare at about 7:41 p.m., according to Flightaware.com. British Airways Flight 294 was scheduled to arrive at London Heathrow (LHR) at 06:41AM BST (+1) on September 4, 2017. There was no official alert on British Airways official Twitter account.
British Airways Flight 294 Route Map Return to O’Hare (Flightaware.com).
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According to a FlightRadar24.com history map, British Airways Flight 294 apparently took off from Runway 28R and returned to O’Hare, landing on Runway 28C.
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WITNESS REPORTS …
OBSERVER VANTAGE POINTS …
Arlington Heights Rd and Hintz Rd
Kennicott Ave and Hintz Rd
Palatine Rd and Kennicott Ave
Arlington Park
Arlington Heights Rd and Euclid Ave (2)
Palatine Rd and Rohlwing Rd, Palatine
Kensington Rd
HOME – House Of Music & Entertainment near Rand Rd and Olive St
Rand Rd and Dundee Rd
SOUND DESCRIPTIONS
Sound like a giant helicopter
Loud huff huff huff noise
Bang and a rumbling noise mixed in with jet noise
Several loud booms (sounded like sonic booms)
Sounded like sonic boom
Rumbling
Saw flames, then heard a large boom
VISUAL DESCRIPTIONS
Saw the plane angling down then level off
Saw flames coming from the engine
Saw flames coming from engine number two
Saw a lot of smoke coming from the plane
Saw plane make an immediate turn right toward Lake Michigan
Clearly on fire, spitting flames out of the front of the engine
Traveling north with orange flame coming out of rear of inboard engine on left side
Flame extinguished before lost site of plane in distance
FlightRadar24 British Airways Flight 294 flight history map near point of engine fire observation (Arlington Heights Road and Palatine Road/Google Map and FlightRadar24.com history map).