Engine covers left unlatched on British Airways flight that made emergency landing at Heathrow

He stressed it was “vitally important” that confidence was maintained in the aviation industry and its safety record.

The AAIB took the highly unusual step last night to deny a report by US investigators that the BA flight 762 plane limped back to Heathrow with one engine shut down and the other on fire.

Aviation experts say if there had been such a situation it would have been very dangerous.

But only one of the engines on the BA Airbus A319 was affected, the AAIB said.

London Ambulance Service said three people on the plane, carrying 75 passengers, were treated for minor injuries after it landed safely.

Passengers and crew were evacuated via emergency chutes.

Heathrow bosses and the pilot’s association Balpa later praised the BA cockpit crew.

The drama closed both runways at Heathrow for a while, with 192 flights being cancelled and 22 planes diverted to other airports, and delays for those heading off for the bank holiday weekend.

Besides concerns about safety shortcomings, the AAIB findings could spark a surge of claims from an estimated 25,000 BA passengers whose flights were cancelled as a result of the incident, plus thousands more whose flights were delayed.

European passengers’ rights legislation, known as EU261, obliges airlines to pay between €250 and €600 to such passengers unless the carrier can demonstrate the disruption was the result of “extraordinary circumstances”.

The airline said: “We do not believe we are liable for further EU261 compensation payments as the closure or restriction of airspace, which lead to the cancellations and delays, is defined as an extraordinary circumstance.”

As the report reveals maintenance shortcomings at BA, lawyers may argue that the airline is liable. The total exposure to BA of compensation claims could total £10m.

The incorrect information from the US had come on the website of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) which is assisting the AAIB on the May 24 incident.

The NTSB information on its website said: “An Airbus A319-131, registration number G-EUOE, during departure from London Heathrow International Airport, had the engine cowls (coverings) from both International Aero Engines V2500 engines separate and fall on to the runway.

“The pilots reported that they shut down one engine, there was a fuel leak, and that they were returning. The pilots subsequently reported that one engine was shut down and the other engine was on fire.

“The airplane landed, was shut down, and the passengers were evacuated via the emergency slides.”

The NTSB added: “As the state of manufacture of the engines, the NTSB has designated a US accredited representative.... to assist the AAIB with their investigation.”

An AAIB statement said: “The NTSB reported that the Airbus A319 returned to land with one engine shut down and the other on fire. This information is incorrect: only one of the engines was affected.”

A British Airways spokesman said: “We continue to co-operate fully with the AAIB on this matter and it would be inappropriate to discuss the detail of the incident while the investigation continues.”