Speculation - how did this happen? - Airbus A340 accident,

[Rob.]

Toulouse accident occurred as Airbus A340 was exiting engine test-pen

Airbus has told Etihad Airways that the A340-600 wrecked at Toulouse
during pre-delivery checks had completed its engine test-runs and was
exiting the test area at the time of the accident.

Etihad Airways had been due to take delivery of the A340 on 21 November.
Five of the nine personnel on board the Rolls-Royce Trent 500-powered
jet were injured when it struck the wall of the engine-test pen,
destroying the forward fuselage.

A spokesman for Etihad confirms that the aircraft has been written off.

Neither Airbus nor French investigation agency BEA has given further
information about the circumstances of the accident.

But the Etihad spokesman says that Airbus has told the carrier that the
engine test-run had already been completed beforehand, and that the A340
had been making its way out of the pen. The pen is located 500m
southwest of a point lying about 1,000m along the length of Toulouse
Blagnac Airport’s runway 32L.

[Sylvia Else]

Extreme example of losing situational awareness?

Sylvia.