Midair malfunction hits Qantas jet | Western Australia News | News.com.au
Quote:
Midair malfunction hits Qantas jet
AAPNovember 29, 2008 07:14am
A QANTAS jet serviced days ago in Hong Kong had to turn back to Perth yesterday after the crew was forced to turn off one of its two engines.
Fairfax newspapers say the Airbus A330 with 168 passengers en route to Singapore returned to Perth when an engine oil warning light flashed in the cockpit.
Aviation sources told Fairfax the engine starter motor sheared off because no oil had been put into the motor after its overhaul.
David Cox, the executive general manager of Qantas Engineering, said: "Initial inspections by engineers indicate that the fault with the engine starter motor could have led to the engine oil problem".
He said the investigation into the issue would require "detailed analysis" in conjunction with the starter motor and engine manufacturers in the US.
Mr Cox said the Qantas A330 fleet was serviced overseas. This aircraft returned earlier in the week from a four-day 'C' check carried out in Hong Kong. It returned to Perth on one engine and a replacement plane finally took off with the passengers four hours and 50 minutes late.
A Civil Aviation Safety Authority spokesman, Peter Gibson, confirmed preliminary reports that the malfunction had originated in the starter motor and that the oil supply was being looked at.
"CASA has been kept fully informed on the incident by Qantas and will be closely monitoring Qantas's investigation of the event," Mr Gibson said.
A survey of Qantas maintenance staff this year found concern about safety standards in part because of offshore maintenance.