Richmond Council is taking legal action against the airports watchdog, which it accuses of failing to act over stowaways.
It says the measure, which comes after a man apparently fell to his death in June, is an attempt to prevent more people risking their lives and to ensure the safety of those living under the Heathrow approach paths.
In June this year, the body of a man was found on the roof of an office block near Richmond station.
He is believed to have fallen from the landing gear of a plane approaching Heathrow, where another man was found alive that morning in the undercarriage of an aircraft arriving from South Africa.
It was the third time since 2012 that the body of a stowaway had landed in the borough, and Richmond Council says more must be done to prevent such tragedies.
The council said, on each occasion, it had lobbied airlines and those responsible for air safety to understand what was being done to prevent the breaches in security.
It claims UK regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has failed to take action, which is why the council had started legal proceedings against the organisation.
Richmond Council leader Lord Nicholas True said: "It is so tragic that someone is so unhappy with their life they have to take such a risk. This action is not just about this borough, but it is also about protecting their lives.
"Should it really be the role of a local authority to make sure that bodies do not fall from the sky? No. With a possible expanding airport and more flights coming in and out of Heathrow, we need to make sure that people are protected.
"And we must not neglect the potential security implications of doubling flights over London when access to the undercarriage of planes in not adequately prevented"
"The CAA has failed to take action. It has failed to protect our residents and the lives of those who climb underneath the planes.
"We believe that it is time that this stopped. Someone must take responsibility. This legal action is in a bid to ensure the safety of our residents."
A CAA spokesman said: "We can confirm that we have been contacted by Richmond Council regarding airline stowaways. Richmond Council's concerns are being carefully considered and will be responded to in due course."
