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Qantas A330 Emergency Landing in Learmonth
Apparently a Qantas A330 flying from Singapore has made an emergency landing in Learmonth due to problems controlling the aircraft. Several injuries were reported. Nothing further as yet.
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From ABC website:
Police say up to 40 passengers may have been injured in an emergency landing at an airport in Western Australia's north. West Australian Police say an airbus A-320 carrying up to 300 passengers landed safely at Learmonth Airport in Exmouth this afternoon. The pilot had put out a mayday call prior to the incident. |
BBC World Service said just moments ago, 0630Z, that an Airbus had an emergency landing following a mid-air collision. Passengers hurt. The Australian on-line paper has reported some thing similar. Further there were reports of an A320 but also 300 passengers. Doesn't tally.
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Nine.msn and ABC saying its an A-320, sounds like severe turbulence.
There are reports up to 40 Qantas passengers have been injured in a mid-air turbulence incident over Western Australia. An Airbus A320 has made an emergency landing at Learmonth Airport near Exmouth in the state's northwest. Qantas has refused to confirm its plane was involved. The crew of the affected plane was believed to have issued a mayday call before the landing. Ambulance and emergency crews are now arriving at the airport. |
Via The SMH site ex AAP
Via the SMH website ex AAP
Reporting a "Mayday"' Forty passengers injured in mid-air incident Up to 40 people were injured when a passenger jet carrying more than 300 people made an emergency landing near Exmouth following a mid-air incident, West Australian police say. Sergeant Greg Lambert said the Airbus A320 landed safety at Learmonth Airport, near Exmouth, this afternoon after a mayday call. "It is understood up to 40 people were injured during a mid-air incident," Sgt Lambert said. "The nature of the mid-air incident is unknown." Emergency services and medical staff were at the airport. Qantas would not immediately confirm the incident involved one of its aircraft. AAP |
That Sin-Per service is operated by A330 - the passenger numbers and time of incident correlate to the flight leaving Sin at 09h00 ish.
Qantas mainline doesn't operate A320 Edit to add: QF72 now showing delayed with no ETA |
Yes would be the A330. That pattern is the shuttle so I'm guessing the outbound 1530 SIN flight will be delayed as well. Hope all ok!!!! Sounds pretty serious, Learmonth is a RAAF base though so they'd be in good hands with the expertise there!
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Sky news reporting a sudden change in altitude. Broken bones reported.
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Perth Radio 6PR reporting that it is QF72 en route to Perth that has landed with some injuries possibly due to turb. 3pm news
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It went to Learmonth, not Exmouth. Learmonth is an Alternate airport for the A330.
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Thread on R&N quotes police as stating 10 serious (broken bones/lacerations) and 30 minor, 2 RFDS enroute and QF sending two aircraft to pick up the rest. Suppose that Airbus isn't going anywhere today then. To me that would imply checks needed before it can fly again.
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FROM THE ATSB
MEDIA RELEASE 2008/38 Qantas Airbus Incident 07 October 2008 The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has been notified of an incident involving a Qantas Airbus A330 aircraft on a flight from Singapore to Perth. While cruising in level flight, the aircraft experienced a sudden in-flight upset, resulting in injuries to a number of cabin crew and passengers, primarily in the rear of the aircraft. The crew declared a MAYDAY and diverted the aircraft to Learmonth, near Exmouth in WA, where it landed without further incident. Early reports indicate that three cabin crew and approximately 30 passengers sustained injuries, including about 15 with serious injuries, namely broken bones and lacerations. The ATSB has initiated a safety investigation and is making arrangements for investigators to travel to Learmonth as soon as possible. |
Airlines like QF have charts which designate certain airfields as "Main", "Alternate", "Adequate", "Emergency" etc, and are specific to certain aircraft or groups of aircraft.
I believe Learmonth is classed as an "Alternate" for a QF A330, whereas Port Hedland and Broome are "Adequate". Not sure what the exact criteria are ("Adequate" for ETOPS?), but am having an educated guess that an "Alternate" is a higher preference than an "Adequate" or an "Emergency". No doubt the crew balanced the factors at hand, and of course readers at home enjoying a peaceful afternoon may have wide and varied opinions based mostly on lack of information... :) |
Thanks 'Captain',
Perhaps I should have said, ...the nearby town of Exmouth has a hospital...and YPLM has a bloody huge runway. i.e. suitable. Its on track, and its THERE. Cheers |
Regardless, well done to the crew. Sorry to hear cabin crew were injured (if that is accurate). Return SIN flight now showing departure of 2200. The Qantas-bashing has already started on the news websites. When will people learn that turbulence is not always predictable and is not a maintenance issue??????? :ugh:
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Capt Kremin - yes the jet landed at Learmonth, which I might add is NOT a town for the general populous but a RAAF aerodrome with not much going for it apart from a long bitumen strip.
Learmonth is up there with the other RAAF strips such as at/near Derby and Weipa - they're RAAF owned but only activated as such during exercises .. hey Griffo?! The nearest town to Learmonth is Exmouth, which is approx a 45 minute drive away - which boasts the Potshot Motel that would be hardpressed to provide accommodation for pax/crew of an airbus. I understood from a a few years of having to worry about such things that YPLM was deemed suitable as an ALTN AD for all sorts of problems for all sorts of aircraft, and is an ALTN for PER in cruddy weather. I guess this is just one day when that long runway out in the middle of nowhere has proved its worth .. |
the aircraft experienced a sudden in-flight upset, resulting in injuries to a number of cabin crew and passengers, primarily in the rear of the aircraft. |
...anyone define an 'in-flight upset'? |
Learmonth/Exmouth is pretty much the same thing, about a 40 min drive between the town and Airport. Exmouth does have a small strip there for landing but obviously you can land jets there. so the pax and crew will have to be treated in Exmouth or by RAAF/Army staff based at Learmonth.
When people fly to Exmouth you fly into Learmonth. Certainly sounds like there's more to it......inflight incident etc sounds a bit strange to say the least and makes you wonder what's not being said. |
Can anyone define an 'in-flight upset'? |
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