Cathay Pacific plane makes emergency landing

[H Azmal 0]

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_669166.html

 

A Cathay Pacific passenger plane made an emergency landing at Changi Airport on Monday after one of its engines caught fire.

 

The A330 flight, which was enroute to Jakarta, had to turn back to Singapore after it experienced engine trouble shortly after takeoff at about 1am.

 

No one was injured.

 

Changi Airport Group spokesman Ivan Tan confirmed the incident.

 

It is unclear how many passengers were on board but the A330 aircraft can take about 200 people.

[c.lee 0]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/16/singapore-plane-idUSL4E7GG09N20110516

 

Calm and prayers help steer stricken plane back to Singapore

 

May 16 (Reuters) - Terrified passengers aboard a Cathay Pacific plane prayed together as their aircraft, one of its engines on fire, made its way back to Singapore on Monday, and their calm response earned praise from the captain.

 

Cathay Pacific said the Airbus 330, bound for Jakarta with 136 passengers on board, landed back in Singapore "without incident" just before 2 a.m. It said the crew shut down the engine after receiving a "stall warning".

 

Reuters photographer Beawiharta was aboard the plane with his wife, two sons and daughter. About 20 minutes after take-off, there were two sharp bangs, sending cabin staff scurrying to retrieve the meals they had only just begun serving.

 

The plane began shaking violently, he said, and the lights went out. He could smell something burning.

 

His son, Pradipta, 15, said he saw nothing as he peered out the window.

 

"But I asked him to cup his hands to get a better view," Beawiharta said. "He shouted: 'I see fire! I see fire!'

 

"Panicked, he then asked: 'Will we die? Will we die?' I took his hand and told him firmly: 'No, we are going to live.'

 

"Behind us, passengers were praying: 'God, save our flight! Give us your protection!'"

 

The prayers got louder and louder, pierced by only the occasional cry of panic.

 

"A stewardess told us an engine had caught fire and we were on our way back to Singapore. Glued to the window, my son said he could see lights, the sea and ships and then lights on the ground. We all grabbed life jackets from beneath our seats, but the plane landed smoothly.

 

"Within five minutes, as firefighters doused the damaged engine, we walked off the plane into the terminal."

 

In the waiting room, the pilot greeted assembled passengers.

 

"The best that we can ever ask of passengers is to stay cool, stay calm ... which you did," he said. "And for that we thank you." (Additional reporting by by Harry Suhartono and by Alison Leung in Hong Kong; Writing by Ron Popeski; Editing by Nick Macfie)

[JuliusWong 0]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/16/singapore-plane-idUSL4E7GG09N20110516

 

Err....a bit OTT, no?? Media does like to sensationlise stories. Qantas' many cases came to mind.

 

CX seems to have a bit brush with A330s, isn't this their second major incidents with A330s? I am glad that the flight landed safely!

[Daniel Tang 0]

Saw the a/c parked at the remote bays in Changi this morning...almost next to the QF A380 VH-OQA which had the engine explosion.

[Denny Yen 0]

Life vest?

 

 

[Gavin Andrew David 6]

sounds so dramatic

[flee 5]

CX Media Release:

 

16 May 2011

 

 

Cathay Pacific confirmed that CX715 which departed from Singapore to Jakarta at 00.54 am on 16 May 2011 returned to Singapore following a stall warning from the No. 2 engine. The crew shut down the Rolls Royce engine when they received the alert.

 

An emergency landing was declared and the aircraft returned at 01.57 am without incident. Fire services met the aircraft on arrival. The aircraft stopped on the taxiway and sparks from the No. 2 engine were reported. They were doused by fire extinguishers.

 

The 136 passengers on the A330 disembarked without incident and were accommodated in hotels. Most were transferred to other flights later this morning.

 

Cathay Pacific and Rolls Royce are investigating the incident which has been reported to the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department.

 

A Cathay Pacific spokesman said: "We can appreciate the concern and anxiety felt by the passengers during the incident, but our captain and his crew were in control of the situation at all times. They reacted exactly as they are trained to do, shut down the affected engine and returned the aircraft safely to Singapore.

 

"Our captain was full of praise for the calm and co-operative manner of the passengers, both at the time of the announcement of the flight return and their disembarkation from the aircraft via airport mobile staircase.

 

"We are very grateful for their calm and orderly response to the situation."

[Lock SH 0]

Hi Denny,

 

From CNN report, the incident happened about 35 mins inflight from SIN. Certainly it was over the water and I guessed cabin crew instructed the pax to put their life jackets on just in case of unplanned ditching is unavoidable.

 

 

[Gavin Andrew David 6]

CX Media Release:

A Cathay Pacific spokesman said: "We can appreciate the concern and anxiety felt by the passengers during the incident, but our captain and his crew were in control of the situation at all times. They reacted exactly as they are trained to do, shut down the affected engine and returned the aircraft safely to Singapore.

 

A perfect statement . Many other airlines are quick to make themselves heroes of the incident to steer the media away from the actual incident

[ariff y. 0]

any idea on what is the reg of the ac? from the pic in the cabin it shows that it must have been B-HL* series. Thanked god everyone's safe

[JuliusWong 0]

any idea on what is the reg of the ac? from the pic in the cabin it shows that it must have been B-HL* series. Thanked god everyone's safe

 

B-HLM.

Edited May 17, 2011 by JuliusWong

[BC Tam 2]

A perfect statement . Many other airlines are quick to make themselves heroes of the incident to steer the media away from the actual incident

Good call

[Teoh Z Yao 0]

Engine problem out of Singapore again...? -.-

[Naim 6]

Eyewitness account:

 

http://blogs.reuters.com/photo/2011/05/17/trading-fear-for-photos-on-a-stricken-plane/

 

===

[Teoh Z Yao 0]

Just for a survey, does anyone know if Cathay, Qantas, and SQ are serviced by the same company when it comes to engines?

[Robert 0]

Eyewitness account:

 

http://blogs.reuters...stricken-plane/

 

===

 

A rather over dramatic account for an engine failure

[Gavin Andrew David 6]

to be fair , it must have been a really big fire , if after discharging the bottles ( fire extinguishers ) , the little boy still can see flames ...

 

engine failures happen , they should not be overly publicized like this.

 

It only hurts the carrier , in an already highly competitive market.

 

can you imagine what would happen if something like this happened to AirAsia ?

 

All these first time fliers will hear news of the ' kapal air ahsia enjen terbako ' , and will be a big sales drop for them

[Yoong 0]

"Behind us, passengers were praying: 'God, save our flight! Give us your protection!'"

 

Thank God for answering prayer!

Edited May 25, 2011 by Yoong

[Naim 6]

A rather over dramatic account for an engine failure

 

Whatever it is, those ppl coming down the staircase were crying.

[Mike P 0]

All the taken pictures... wow... feel emotional for them...

[Raymund Yeoh 1]

Well...whatever it is...I think any of us will be scared s#1t if we see an engine plane lit up like a christmas tree....

[Mike P 0]

Might create some paranoid over these passengers... would they ever dare to fly again?

[Naim 6]

I travel all the time, and I'm still scared of flying ... but I have no choice.