[QUOTE=Lord Farringdon;10451142]Initial news reporting indicates NZ5759, an Air NZ ATR72 en route Dunedin 'hit' something in cruise at FL160. Aircraft returned to its departure airfield Christchurch and landed safely.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/a...ectid=12223870]
Well, from that link:
”Pilots of an Air New Zealand plane turned back after take-off because they believed a wheel in the main landing gear had "made contact with an object on departure", a spokeswoman from the national carrier has confirmed”