'A very loud bang' and a priority landing - passengers recount Qantas engine trouble

One passenger said she "cried the whole way home" after pilots shut down an engine on a Qantas flight.

A qantas plane on a runway

Pilots of a Qantas Airbus A330 had to shut down an engine before landing the plane safely in Perth. Source: Getty / Kevin Carter

A Qantas flight from Melbourne was given a priority landing after running into engine trouble on approach to Perth on Monday night.

Darrell Weekes, a passenger on the flight, said there was a "very, very loud bang" and shudder from the left-hand side of the twin-engined Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

"All of a sudden, cabin crew were scurrying around and opening up curtains and making preparations for landing without the captain coming on the airwaves," he told ABC radio.

Another passenger aboard QF781 reported hearing a "loud noise" like a burst tyre.

"Just want to say thanks to the pilots and crew," one passenger wrote on X.
"That landing was very smooth considering we lost an engine upon descent. But thankful I've landed cause sh-t was scary to sit through (yes I did cry the whole time and no I won’t be booking a flight soon)."

One of the plane's engines suffered an issue as it approached Perth, a Qantas spokesperson confirmed.

"The pilots followed the procedures for this type of incident and manually shut down the engine and requested a priority landing," they said in a statement.

"These aircraft are designed to safely operate with one engine."

Passengers disembarked normally after the plane taxied to the gate under its own power, but engineers will examine the aircraft.

"We know this would have been unsettling for customers on board and we thank them for their co-operation and understanding," the spokesperson said.
These types of incidents are extremely rare, Australian and International Pilots Association president Tony Lucas said.

"The safety of our passengers, crew and cargo is always the priority for any pilot and we rigorously train for these unlikely scenarios," he said.

"The QF781 crew displayed great professionalism, skill and expertise in delivering a safe outcome for everyone."

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Published 26 March 2024 11:29am
Source: AAP

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