[Peetwo]

Flight QF144 in flight engine failure Auckland to Sydney??

Via the other Aunty.. 

Qantas passengers heard 'bang' but were unaware engine failed on flight from Auckland to Sydney

By Greta Stonehouse, Rani Hayman, and Harriet Tatham
Posted Yesterday at 3:10pm, updated Yesterday at 7:03pm

Qantas passengers travelling from Auckland to Sydney say they heard a "bang" when one engine failed mid-flight but were not told the pilot issued a mayday call until after landing safely.

Key points:

• The flight left Auckland just after 2pm local time
  
• The mayday alert was later downgraded to a Pan (possible assistance needed)
  
• Qantas said it would share more information about the incident after the aircraft was assessed by engineers
  

The mayday call was made about an hour before the plane was due to arrive, but this was later downgraded to a PAN (possible assistance needed).

Sandika McAuley was on-board Flight QF144 and realised something was wrong when she heard the noise.

"It was just like a little bit of a bang, and then a little bit of turbulence, and that's it," she said.

"We just thought OK, this is a bit weird."



Sandika McAuley says she heard a bang during the flight.(ABC News: Harriet Tatham)

Ms McAuley said staff kept the atmosphere calm and professional.

Another passenger said he turned his phone on to receive 18 missed phone calls from his wife, who was watching live footage of the incoming jet.

"Have you landed, have you landed?" she had been asking.

He said passengers later debated whether it was better knowing there was an issue during the flight, or after.

"I think it's worse you knowing," he added.


Grayson Te Moana says the incident got the "adrenaline pumping".(ABC News: Harriet Tatham)

Fellow passenger, Grayson Te Moana, said once people knew of the emergency, the atmosphere was "buzzy".

"It certainly got the adrenaline pumping," he said.

The Boeing 737 twin-engined jet from Auckland, touched down at Sydney Airport just before 3:30pm EDT.

Emergency services were on stand-by as a precaution, after rushing to the site about about an hour earlier.

Qantas said in a statement that the flight "experienced an issue with one of its engines about an hour from its destination".


The plane landed in Sydney just before 3:30pm.(AAP: Jeremy Ng)

The flight left Auckland just after 2pm local time.

Just before Christmas, a Sydney to London via Singapore Qantas flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Azerbaijan after pilots noticed a fault indicator in the cockpit.

Qantas said a suspected faulty fire sensor in the cargo hold was to blame

The airline sent another Airbus A380 from Sydney to the capital Baku to pick up passengers stranded after the diversion.

Earlier this month a Jetstar flight was forced to land in Central Japan after it reportedly received a bomb threat.

The aircraft, owned by Qantas, was reportedly travelling from Narita Airport near Tokyo to Fukuoka, when it was forced to divert to Aichi prefecture, public broadcaster NHK reported at the time.

This year Qantas regained the top spot as the world's safest airline after dropping down to seventh place in 2022, according to AirlineRatings.com.

Last year Qantas toppled down the scale due to a "slight increase in incidents coupled with the fleet age," according to the website.

The website that collates safety, product and COVID ratings online, found the Australian carrier only just beat last year's winner, Air New Zealand.

Qantas previously held the title from 2014 to 2017, and between 2019 to 2021.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Catherine King said it was a relief to know the aircraft had landed without harm.

"Well done to the highly experienced crew for getting the plane safely home," Ms King tweeted.

"Australia's aviation industry is among the safest in the world because of the dedicated staff working on planes and behind the scenes."

Across on the UP - see HERE - and elsewhere it would seem that the time that the engine failure occurred varies from TOPC, to 1hr into the flight and 1hr from arrival?? 

The ATSB investigation summary doesn't make this any clearer:

Summary

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating an engine failure or malfunction involving a Boeing Company 737-838, registration VH-XZB, that occurred en route from Auckland New Zealand, to Sydney, New South Wales on 18 January 2023.

During cruise, the no. 1 engine malfunctioned or failed, and the flight crew commenced a descent. They also initially declared a MAYDAY, but this was later downgraded to a PAN (possible assistance needed). The flight continued to Sydney for an uneventful landing.

As part of the investigation, the ATSB will interview involved parties, examine recorded data, review maintenance documentation and relevant procedures and collect other evidence as required.

A final report will be released at the conclusion of the investigation. However, should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties, so that appropriate safety action can be taken.

 
Hmm...while on the subject of QF incidents I note the following came across the MSM this afternoon...  

QF101 Sydney to Fiji: Qantas flight diverted after mechanical issue

Qantas has been hit with a second day of mayhem after a flight experiencing a potential “mechanical issue” was forced to turn around.

Madeleine Achenza
less than 2 min read
January 19, 2023 - 2:16PM

 

MTF...P2