Summary
- Qantas flight makes safe landing in Perth after engine scare, passengers applaud brave crew.
- Plane lands safely with one engine shut down, pilots follow procedures to ensure safety.
- Passengers describe tense moments, applaud crew for stellar job, highlighting pilot expertise.
On Monday night, passengers on a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Perth got an unexpected mid-air scare when one of the Airbus A330’s engines made a loud bang and was shut down. The aircraft was cleared for a priority landing and touched down safely at Perth Airport powered by one engine, where passengers and crew disembarked without incident.
A scary time on the A330-200
Qantas flight QF781 departed Melbourne Airport fifty-eight minutes late at 20:48 on Monday, March 25, for a scheduled 3:50-hour trip across the country to Perth. The aircraft was a 21-year-old Airbus A330-200, registration VH-EBA and MSN 0508, which regularly operates the transcontinental route and international flights from Melbourne or Sydney to Singapore, Auckland, Christchurch and Jakarta.
According to the West Australian, passengers said they heard a loud bang as the plane neared Perth with a pilot later confirming that Engine One had been shut down. A Qantas spokesperson later confirmed the QF781 aircraft experienced an issue with one of its engines as it neared Perth and was granted a priority landing. The spokesperson added:
“The pilots followed the procedures for this type of incident and manually shut down the engine and requested a priority landing. These aircraft are designed to safely operate with one engine. The aircraft landed safely without further incident in Perth. We know this would have been unsettling for customers onboard and we thank them for their cooperation and understanding.”
The Airbus A330-200 landed at Perth Airport at 21:37, having made up some of the hour lost by the late departure but still forty-two minutes behind schedule. The aircraft flew a holding pattern just north of the airport, and Qantas said “it would be assessed by engineers” after landing, but another A330 was used for the return red-eye service to Melbourne, which arrived more than three and a half hours late.
What the passengers said
The West Australian reported that passenger Lachlan Britt said there was a massive bang, and the plane shuddered shortly before the descent into Perth Airport (PER), and you could tell “something had changed just with the sound of the plane afterward.” He added:
“I looked around a bit to see if anything was evident out the window but couldn’t see much. The cabin crew were quick to start opening everything up however, curtains etc. Then the pilot came on and advised they’d shut down engine one”
Photo: Phuong D. Nguyen/Shutterstock
Britt said there were a few nervous faces around, and once the plane had landed safely on the tarmac, passengers let out a sigh and a round of applause. He added the round of applause from everyone as we touched down was a pretty cool moment, but “I’ve had worse landings on planes fully working.”
Another passenger said the pilot and crew onboard did a stellar job, the plane landed safely, and everyone is safe, adding, “That’s a story for the grandkids.”
Tony Lucas, President of the Australian and International Pilots Association, said that while these incidents are rare, pilots are well-trained to manage them safely. He praised the crew for their skill and expertise in delivering a safe outcome while also making the point that having two well-rested and well-trained pilots on the flight deck is the best safety feature available to aviation.
Have you been in a situation like this? Let us know in the comments.
