Daniel M
20th June 2008, 05:19 PM
from cairns post:
Qantas plane in emergency landing
Friday, June 20, 2008
© The Cairns Post
BREAKING NEWS: A QANTAS plane bound for Cairns with an almost full load of passengers has made an emergency landing in Weipa after one engine stopped mid flight.
The right-side engine on the 72-seat turbo-prop stopped 10 minutes after take off from Horn Island in the Torres Strait.
A passenger who was sitting next to the engine told The Cairns Post the engine accelerated rapidly for about a minute before the pilot performed an emergency shutdown.
The plan was diverted to Weipa while more than 60 passengers and crew endured a nervous 20-minute single engine dash to safety.
“All the passengers, on the surface at least, appeared calm,” the witness said.
“On the outside you were calm but on the inside I was definitely thinking about the different possible outcomes.”
On reaching Weipa the plane circled the airport while emergency crews positioned themselves.
It is believed the front landing gear was damaged on landing.
The airport was closed after passengers safely left the plane which remains stuck halfway down on the runway.
Qantas is being sought for comment.
Qantas plane in emergency landing
Friday, June 20, 2008
© The Cairns Post
BREAKING NEWS: A QANTAS plane bound for Cairns with an almost full load of passengers has made an emergency landing in Weipa after one engine stopped mid flight.
The right-side engine on the 72-seat turbo-prop stopped 10 minutes after take off from Horn Island in the Torres Strait.
A passenger who was sitting next to the engine told The Cairns Post the engine accelerated rapidly for about a minute before the pilot performed an emergency shutdown.
The plan was diverted to Weipa while more than 60 passengers and crew endured a nervous 20-minute single engine dash to safety.
“All the passengers, on the surface at least, appeared calm,” the witness said.
“On the outside you were calm but on the inside I was definitely thinking about the different possible outcomes.”
On reaching Weipa the plane circled the airport while emergency crews positioned themselves.
It is believed the front landing gear was damaged on landing.
The airport was closed after passengers safely left the plane which remains stuck halfway down on the runway.
Qantas is being sought for comment.