A cockpit voice recorder has been secured as part of an investigation into the “in-flight engine failure” of a Qantas Boeing 737 plane from Auckland to Sydney yesterday.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has assigned a team of investigators to begin collecting evidence for the investigation, after the QF144 flight landed safely at Sydney Airport despite a mayday call from the pilot.
The investigators have experience in aircraft maintenance, operations and data recovery.
“At the ATSB’s request the operator has quarantined the aircraft’s cockpit voice and flight data recorders,” ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said in a statement.
“Once downloaded, information from those recorders will be analysed at the ATSB’s technical facilities in Canberra.”
The investigation will include interviewing flight crew, reviewing operator procedures, analysing weather information, examining any relevant engine components and potentially attending any tear-down inspection of the engine.
“Our investigators will now work methodically to progressively establish the incident’s sequence of events and contextual information, with a view to determining contributing factors and any underlying safety issues, which will be detailed in the investigation’s final report,” Mitchell said.
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There is no date for when a report will be released at this stage.
This morning a passenger told Today there was a “major jolt” and that the plane’s performance noticeably changed.
“We dropped from about 36,000 feet to 20,000 feet over the course of about 40 minutes and the air speed slowed noticeably, so it was evident there was something wrong, but none of us were sure what,” he said.
Yesterday Qantas confirmed the Boeing 737-838 “experienced an issue with one of its engines” about an hour before it was due to land.
The flight was due to touch down at 3.10pm but instead it made a safe landing at 3.25pm.
Qantas said the plane was met by emergency services in line with standard procedure.
The airline also said the mayday call was later downgraded to a PAN (possible assistance needed).
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