You might think that facing away from the blast fence and tying down to concrete-reinforced pad eyes would be precautions to take in case your AirBus jumps the chocks during engine run-up. But I guess they do things differently in France.
Via AP:
Emirates carrier denies Airbus injuries
An Airbus 340-600 lies on the tarmac at Toulouse Blagnac airport, southwestern France, Friday, Nov. 16, 2007. The aircraft slammed into a wall during engine tests on the ground on Thursday.
An Airbus spokesman also corrected the company’s statement late Thursday that seven employees of Etihad Airways were injured, saying they in fact worked for a firm contracted to test the plane.
Ten people were injured Thursday during engine tests of an Airbus 340-600 near the southwestern French city of Toulouse shortly before the jet was scheduled to be delivered to Abu Dhabi-based Etihad. Airbus said nine people on board were injured, along with one person on the ground.
Airbus Chief Operating Officer Fabrice Bregier said late Thursday that seven Etihad employees were among the wounded. “It was normal for the client to be present on board the plane,” Bregier said.
You can click on each image to get a closer look.