Loud Bang and aircraft shudder SQ221 into Sydney 30.9.09

[fredhoward]

I met a passenger from Singapore Airlines flight SQ221 at 6:00AM today after it landed at Sydney.
She told me that at about 5:00AM about half an hour out of Sydney, there was a very loud bang followed by major shuddering of the aircraft. There was much panic amongst the passengers and cabin crew moved to the emergency exits. She, like the passengers around her, thought that they were in serious trouble.The aircraft landed safely at 5:34 according to the airport terminal screens. No information was supplied to the passengers by the aircrew or cabin staff and I can get no comment from Singapore airlines. Nothing has been reported by the media here in Sydney. Can anybody cast any light on this ?
I should have added that the aircraft was a Rolls powered A380. The lady is still "unsettled" to put it mildly.

[VH-UFO]

Interesting, considering an SQ A380 returned to Paris the other day with a shutdown of one engine.

Not another, mmm.......................................

[411A]

I'm surprised anyone would notice this just out of SYD, as....when I flew there years ago, the bar had been fully consumed about two hours after takeoff...nearly everyone pleasantly passed out...:}

[BOAC]

............somebody tell 411 where the 221 goes?

[411A]

It makes litttle difference, inbound to SYD, or outbound...the normal scenario is for the bar to be tapped out....If BOAC had flown this route for sometime as I have done, he would know this....clearly he hasen't and doesn't:}

[BOAC]

Right! Now we've got that off our chests, does anyone have anything USEFUL for 'fred' on this?

[fredhoward]

Thanks for your support, BOAC. The Lady in question is a teetotaller and doesn't smoke either, tobacco or anything else. She is a seasoned traveller, nearly always with Singapore, and is not easily frightened. She knows the difference between a bit of turbulence and what occurred here, in particular the shuddering of the aircraft and a very load external "bang". She was only one of many that were scared witless. She spent the descent consoling the female in the next seat who was wailing that they were all going to die. The cabin crew were also showing telltale signs that all was not as it should be.
When I met her on landing she was still very, very unsettled and said you'll be hearing on the news what just happened to us . When I got home I got on the net and found nothing. I then contacted two radio staions and got no interest, but we had just had the Samoan Earthquake / Tsunami nearby and maybe that was being given priority. I got nowhere with S.I.A, as expected. In view of the trouble that I have had getting any comment, let alone answers, it's not surprising that everybody else has given up.
I live pretty well under the Kingsford Smith Flightpaths to and from the main runways and a few years back witnessed a Qantas 747 fly very low over my place, heading northwest, with flaps and wheels down. It reappeared a few minutes later from the southwest, also directly over my house, still very low, and on a curve to the east that would take it back to K.S. On this second pass I paid a lot more attention and noticed that the N0 3 engine's casing was fire blackend. I spent days on that one and got nowhere. I rang K.S. and Qantas within minutes and nobody would respond. Neither would 3 radio stations I rang. I concentrated for nearly a week on the Sydney Morning Herald's "Aviation" correspondent and couldn't get near him. I left messages on his phone and also spoke to his offsider several times in detail, but to this day am none the wiser.
I expected this one would be explained in view of the number of passengers affected, but as I said, in view of my experience following this up, I'm not surprised that it has been successfully suppressed.
Thanks again for your support, BOAC. I don't need two guesses at what the "A" in 411A stands for !
Fred

[411A]

....female in the next seat who was wailing that they were all going to die.
Sounds like verbage a journo might use in a tabloid newspaper.
I live pretty well under the Kingsford Smith Flightpaths to and from the main runways
One wonders, all the main runways...or just one?
Yup, has to be a journo on the prowl.:}

[parabellum]

Fred, you do sound a lot like someone who goes looking for trouble in the hope that you will find it!

Speculating on what you have posted then half an hour out from SYD would be about TOD and it is possible that as the thrust levers came back to idle an engine 'stalled', it may have recovered or it may have been shut down but at that stage of flight, without any fire present, it is not an emergency.

Companies will not normally divulge information if a safe landing has been achieved without the alerting or use of emergency services and no injuries are involved, in the aviation industry there is such a thing as bad publicity.

[BOAC]

I find it surprising that if the reported 'alarm' was 'as advertised' (including among the c/crew) that there appears to have been no PA? That is the least I would have done - even if I was busy like 411A making sure the bar was 'tapped out':)

[fredhoward]

most aircraft heading for Singapore use two main parallel runways that are aligned slightly west of North. If using the westerly one they fly directly over my house and if using the Easterly one they fly to the north of my place at which point they are not very high and many still have flaps extended.
The quote about a person fearing that they were going to die would be a normal rection by a person with no technical aviation experience who hears a loud bang followed by violent shaking of the aircraft.
I hope that explains to the aptly named "..A' how I can be near or under the two longest runways, and no, I am not a journo on the prowl, That's the whole point - there aren't any !

[cheesycol]

And if the wind is blowing the other way then they'll use the runways aligned just east of south :ok:

Could be a compressor stall, a large handful of speedbrake as the crew realise they're 30 miles past TOD, or even the skipper falling out of his bunk. Your friend's fear of death was, happily, not realised. Next.

[411A]

'Fred' just has to be a jounro...looking for a 'story'.
Suggest...ignore.

[Dunnza]

Ahhh "Fred" still trying to be a journo I see?