Typical jurno crap reporting. It was a tail strike .... nothing more .... nothing less
The Singapore Airlines 747-400 with a damaged tail. Picture / Kenny Rodger
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydispl...ection=general
Airline denies fire caused emergency landing
12.03.2003
7.50pm
Despite eye-witness accounts of flames shooting from the back of a Singapore Airlines jet which made an emergency landing at Auckland International Airport today, the airline denies fire was involved.
The Boeing 747-400, carrying 368 passengers and 20 crew departed at 3.28pm this afternoon bound for Singapore, but apparently struck its tail on the runway on take-off.
In a statement released this afternoon, Singapore Airlines said it appeared the tail strike triggered a fire alarm in the cockpit.
However, there was "no information to suggest that the fire warning light was triggered by an actual fire", the statement said.
However, eye-witnesses interviewed by TV3 news this evening said they saw flames of up to 3m coming from the tail of the aircraft as it circled above the runway.
Singapore Airlines said the aircraft was in the air for about 20 minutes before it could land again.
The plane was then moved to a remote bay where passengers disembarked.
"No passengers or crew were injured in the incident or the landing."
The plane was under the command of an experienced crew, including a captain with 20 years' experience, the airline said.
The airline would "co-operate fully" with authorities investigating the incident.
Another aircraft was to be flown from Sydney to Auckland later tonight to operate the flight.
In a statement issued by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission, John Mockett, chief investigator of accidents, said an investigation would determine the causes and circumstances of the accident "for the purpose of preventing similar occurrences in future".
The investigation would include inspection of the aircraft and its cargo, interviews with flight and ground crews, and may take some months.
The investigator in charge, Ken Mathews, would travel to Auckland tomorrow morning.
About 20 flights out of Auckland were delayed because of the incident, which closed the runway for just over an hour.
Auckland International Airport CEO John Goulter said the runway was closed from about 4.50pm to 5.50pm to allow a full inspection to be carried out.
"We had to ensure that there was nothing on the runway, like pieces of debris, which could have posed a danger for other aircraft."
All flights had been rescheduled successfully, he said.
"It's not a big drama, it's just part of the business."
- NZPA