<Li> On 8 December 1996, a KLM Cityhopper Fokker 50, PH - KVK, operating as KLM483 from Rotterdam, suffered a main gear collapse after landing on runway 09R . The aircraft's touchdown was normal, right mainwheel first . About 5 seconds after all the landing gear were in ground contact the left main landing gear collapsed and the aircraft left wing tip, left propeller and the rear left portion of the fuselage contacted the runway . The aircraft veered to the left coming to rest on the hard surface clear of the runway in Block 81 . </Li> <Li> On 5 November 1997, a Virgin Atlantic Airbus A340 - 300, G - VSKY, made an emergency landing following an undercarriage malfunction . Part of the undercarriage collapsed on landing, and both aircraft and runway were damaged . Recommendations made as a result of the accident included one that aircraft cabin door simulators should more accurately reproduce operating characteristics in an emergency, and another that cockpit voice recorders should have a two - hour duration in aircraft registered before April 1998 . </Li> <Li> On 17 January 2008, a British Airways Boeing 777 - 236ER, G - YMMM, operating flight BA038 from Beijing, crash - landed at Heathrow . The aircraft landed on grass short of the south runway, then slid to the edge of the runway and stopped on the threshold, leading to eighteen minor injuries . The aircraft was later found to have suffered loss of thrust caused by fuel icing . </Li> <Ul> <Li> On 8 June 1968, James Earl Ray, the man convicted of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., was captured and arrested at Heathrow Airport while attempting to leave the United Kingdom on a false Canadian passport . </Li> <Li> On 6 September 1970, El Al Flight 219 experienced an attempted hijack by two PFLP members . One hijacker was killed and the other was subdued as the plane made an emergency landing at Heathrow Airport . </Li> <Li> On 19 May 1974, the IRA planted a series of bombs in the Terminal 1 car park . Two people were injured by the explosions . </Li> <Li> On 26 November 1983, the Brink's - Mat robbery occurred, in which 6,800 gold bars worth nearly £ 26 million were taken from a vault near Heathrow . Only a small amount of the gold was recovered, and only two men were convicted of the crime . </Li> <Li> On 17 April 1986, semtex explosives were found in the bag of a pregnant Irishwoman attempting to board an El Al flight . The explosives had been given to her by her Jordanian boyfriend and father of her unborn child Nizar Hindawi . The incident became known as the Hindawi Affair . </Li> <Li> On 21 December 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 from Heathrow to New York / JFK was blown up over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 on board and 11 other people on the ground . This also still remains the deadliest attack on a US aircraft . </Li> <Li> In 1994, over a six - day period, Heathrow was targeted three times (8, 10, and 13 March) by the IRA, which fired 12 mortars . Heathrow was a symbolic target due to its importance to the UK economy, and much disruption was caused when areas of the airport were closed over the period . The gravity of the incident was heightened by the fact that the Queen was being flown back to Heathrow by the RAF on 10 March . </Li> <Li> In March 2002, thieves stole US $3 million that had arrived on a South African Airways flight . </Li> <Li> In February 2003, the British Army was deployed to Heathrow along with 1,000 police officers in response to intelligence reports suggesting that al - Qaeda terrorists might launch surface - to - air missile attacks at British or American airliners . </Li> <Li> On 17 May 2004, Scotland Yard's Flying Squad foiled an attempt by seven men to steal £ 40 million in gold bullion and a similar quantity of cash from the Swissport warehouse at Heathrow . </Li> <Li> On 10 August 2006, the airport became the focus of changes in security protocol, following the revelation of a supposed al - Qaeda terrorist plot . New security rules were put in force immediately, causing additional restrictions in regards to carrying liquids onto flights . This caused longer queues and wait times at security . These included the prohibition of carry - on luggage (except essential items such as travel documents and medication) and all liquids--although this rule was later relaxed to allow the carrying on board of liquid medications and baby milk, if they were tasted first by passengers at the security checkpoint . </Li> <Li> On 25 February 2008, Greenpeace activists protesting against the planned third runway managed to cross the tarmac and climb atop a British Airways Airbus A320, which had just arrived from Manchester Airport . At about 09: 45 GMT the protesters unveiled a banner, saying "Climate Emergency--No Third Runway", over the aircraft's tailfin . By 11: 00 GMT four arrests had been made . </Li> <Li> On 13 March 2008, a man with a rucksack scaled the perimeter fence onto runway 27R, and ran across the grounds, resulting in his subsequent arrest . A controlled explosion of his bag took place, although nothing suspicious was found, and the Metropolitan Police later said that the incident had not been terrorism related . </Li> <Li> On 13 July 2015, thirteen activists belonging to the climate change protest group Plane Stupid managed to break through the perimeter fence and get onto the northern runway . They chained themselves together in protest, disrupting hundreds of flights . All were eventually arrested . </Li> </Ul>

What is the length of the runway at heathrow