After the aircraft had made a successful emergency landing, confusion over checklists and distractions from the presence of a check pilot contributed to the deaths of five of the 127 on board.

Flight attendant Barbara Jane Harrison was posthumously awarded the George Cross for heroism during the accident, another crew member received a British Empire Medal, and an air traffic controller was made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

[2] Seconds after takeoff from Heathrow's then-9,000-foot-long (2,700 m) runway 28L (extended, years later, and now re-designated as 27L),[3] there was an unexpected bang and the aircraft started vibrating.

As a result, the fire shut off handles were not pulled, and the booster pumps and electrical supply were left switched on.

[9] The first two fire engines to arrive were unable to do much, as they stopped too far from the aircraft and their design prevented their moving once they began making foam.

[14] Survivors included the pop singer Mark Wynter, who was travelling to Australia to be married,[15] and Katriel Katz, Israeli Ambassador to the Soviet Union.

[17] The aircraft's nose section was salvaged for use on a Convair CV-580 for test purposes as part of the Total In Flight Simulator program.

The crew's omitting to shut off the fuel to the engine was blamed for the rapid growth of the fire and the loss of the aircraft.

However, the report on the accident also stated that Captain Taylor had briefed Moss to act as an extra set of eyes and ears inside and outside the cockpit.

[10] The aircraft's number 2 port engine No.5097, constructed in 1961, had run for 14,917 hours from new, and had been overhauled in spring 1965 because of vibration caused by metal fatigue that had led to the failure of a stage 8 high-pressure compressor blade.

On 22 November 1967 the engine was bench tested and rejected because of excessive vibration of the high-pressure compressor, but was later released as serviceable following further analysis.

[22] After 1,415 hours service on another 707 and modification to the turbine seals, on 5 April 1968 No.5097 became number 2 engine of the port wing of the aircraft, scheduled to fly long-haul to Sydney, Australia, three days later.

[6] However, the fuel booster pump continued to function, intensifying the fire until it spread to the wing itself, sweeping back from forward of the leading edge towards the tail.

The application of reverse thrust on landing, and the westerly crosswind on the runway, blew the flames underneath the wing and set light to the fuselage.

About two and a half minutes later the aircraft made an emergency landing at the airport and the fire on the port wing intensified.

With flames and explosions all around her and escape from the tail of the machine impossible she directed her passengers to another exit while she remained at her post.

She was finally overcome while trying to save an elderly cripple who was seated in one of the last rows and whose body was found close to that of the stewardess.

The citation for Neville Davis-Gordon's BEM reads:-[11] Award of the British Empire Medal for Gallantry (Civil Division) On 8 April 1968, soon after take-off from Heathrow Airport, No.

About two and a half minutes later the aircraft made an emergency landing at the airport and the fire on the port wing intensified.

The Chief Steward's firm and calm instructions not only guided passengers to the most appropriate exit, but clearly helped to avoid any panic.

In addition, Air Traffic Control Officer John Davis, who was responsible for Flight 712 and had first spotted the port engine fire from the ground, was appointed MBE.

[27] Captain Cliff Taylor and Acting First Officer John Hutchinson had managed to safely land their aircraft which, having lost an engine, was on fire carrying about 22,000 gallons of fuel, in the most testing of circumstances and almost certainly saved 121 lives.

Taylor was recommended for an award by BOAC, but following the publication of the official inquiry report in August 1969, the decision was taken at ministerial level not to recognise any member of the flight crew.