Qantas emergency landing
 

BREAKING NEWS: UP to 50 people are reported injured after a Qantas Airbus on an international flight made a forced landing near Exmouth today.
The flight - QF72 from Singapore - made the landing at Learmonth Airport just before 2pm after what has been described as a ``mid-air incident''.
Police said about 50 of the 300 passengers on board the Airbus A380 had been injured.
Pilbara police are making their way to the airport to launch an investigation, but it is not known at this stage exactly what happened or the circumstanced leading up to the incident.
Police Media's Inspector Wayne Silver told Perthnow that the flight had landed safely, but preliminary information suggested there had been some sort of ``instrument failure'' and turbulance.
Insp Silver said there were reports of passengers sustaining severe lacerations and broken bones

Flightstatus.com indicates Airbus 330-300 not A380.
QF has not A380 in operation yet

A320 Emergency landing
 

Further to the previous post UK BBC Radio 4 reported a 'mid air incident' involving Qantas A320 at about 0640Z.

"Police spokesman Greg Lambert said the Airbus A320, with more than 300 people on board, landed at Learmonth Airport in Exmouth after making a mayday call. "

From our friends at the BBC. :) , could not resist posting that.

The good old BBC is reporting that:

"Police spokesman Greg Lambert said the Airbus A320, with more than 300 people on board, landed at Learmonth Airport in Exmouth after making a mayday call."

Australia air 'incident' hurts 40

More than 300 people in an A320? :sad:

Hope the injuries are not serious.

From the ABC.
Posted 46 minutes ago
Updated 6 minutes ago

More than 40 people have been injured in an emergency landing at an airport in Western Australia's north.
It is understood mid-air turbulance forced the pilot of Qantas Flight 72 to land at Learmonth Airport near Exmouth this afternoon.
The pilot of the A-330-300 issued a mayday call after the mid-air incident.
The flight was from Singapore to Perth.
Police say 10 people with severe injuries, including lacerations and broken bones, have been taken to Exmouth Hospital.
Thrity people with minor injuries have also been taken to hospital.
Police say Qantas is sending two planes to bring the rest of the passengers to Perth.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service is also sending two aircraft to Exmouth.
Sergeant Greg Lambert says emergency services are still working at Exmouth airport.
"Emergency services at the airport, as well as medical staff, are on the ground treating to the people at the moment," he said.


Sounds serious,but plane landed safely and nobody died.:ok:

Its a Qantas A330 and it diverted after hitting CAT en-route from SIN-PER.

Met site shows high level jet stream through the area of Learmonth to across Australia! Severe turbulance could be on the money! WX radar might not of picked it up and seat belt sign off!

Wonder how fewer casualties there would be if people obeyed the simple request to keep belts on... thoughts go mainly to the lovely cabin crew who really don't have a choice in the matter with CAT.

And 44 people could have saved themselves injury with their seatbelts LOOSELY fastened, why don't they listen?

Qantas Press Release

Qantas Aircraft Diverts to Learmonth in Western Australia

Sydney, 08th October 2008

Qantas said today that a number of passengers and crew sustained injuries, including fractures and lacerations, on board QF72 this afternoon en route from Singapore to Perth following a sudden change in altitude.

The flight operated by an A330-300 aircraft with 303 passengers and 10 crew, diverted to Learmonth in Western Australia and landed at approximately 1.45pm local time.

The flight had been due to land at Perth at 2.10pm.

Emergency services, including medical attendants, met the aircraft on landing.

Qantas said there were no details at this stage as to what caused the altitude change.

Further information will be issued as soon as it is available.

How do you know this ? They migh all have had their belts on and the injuries coming from falling luggage, overheadbins doors falling, galley trolleys , etc..
If you read previous injuries reports from severe CAT you can see that seats belts alone is not a guarantee to escape injury. But the advice is correct: keep them on at all times if you can.

Well possibly because over 30% of pax undo their belts the second that the light's turned off. God ONLY knows why (she's not saying). :ugh:

The other possibilities you've mentioned are less likely to damage people if they stay put with their belts on.

Unfortunately, the CC don't have that luxury and are the true victims in these things. :uhoh:

Last time I flew on QF the Cabin Crew were directed to "be seated" every time the seat belt sign was turned on. Is it QF SOP for everyone in the cabin to strap-in when the sign is on, or just that Captains preference?

If it is SOP to do that, then injuries to the CC would imply that the sign might not have been turned on in this incident.

The self-loading-cargo should still have had them "loosely fastened" though...

Good to see 'Pilbara police' are starting the investigation...

'Yeah mate, seems she hit a cat..':E

SB sign on= pax & cc seated, no exceptions.

This is part of a nine.msn report.-http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=642949

[quote]
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said the aircraft had experienced a "sudden in-flight upset" while cruising in "level flight".
It said most of the injured were travelling 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," the ATSB said in a statement.
The ATSB had initiated a safety investigation and was making arrangements for investigators to travel to Learmonth as soon as possible, it said.
ATSB spokesman Ian Sangston said as many as 30 people were injured and up to 15 people had broken bones as a result of the incident.
"At that stage the pilot declared an emergency and diverted to Learmonth," Mr Sangston said.
Two ATSB investigators were preparing to arrive at Learmonth, near Exmouth about 9pm WST (midnight AEDT) on a chartered aircraft.
Five other investigators will also travel to the airport to investigate the incident."

Check out this awful BBC photo of a 737 Qantas tail tilted down to indicate "Plunge"

Couldn't photoshop it better myself.

BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | Australian jet plunge injures 40

Seat belt signs and CATs ...
 

As long as the "please keep your seatbelts closed during flight" is just a friendly recommendation, some people will invariably unfasten theirs as soon as the sign goes off (some even earlier).

The problem with CAT of course is, that there is usually no warning. The phenomenon is known, and that is the very reason that it is recommended to keep buckled up, unless you have business wandering around the cabin, as part of your job (Cabin Crew), or for personal hygiene.

The weather radar cannot pick up CAT, since EM radiation only reflects off water droplets, and not clear air. So probably the seat-belt sign was off, people were wandering around or just feeling more comfortable without the belt, galley trolleys may have been in the aisles; lots of potential for injuries.

Generally true, of course. The exception being that, prior to takeoff and landing, and if there is advance warning of turbulence, the sign goes on, and CC check that every passenger is buckled in, before strapping themselves down.

Why I unbuckle my seatbelt
 

I am SLF in cattle-class. I obey the seatbelt sign. When seated, I buckle up. But when I have to use a lavatory I unbuckle. And on a long haul flight there are times when I have NO CHOICE but to queue up and wait in line (OK, I could p1ss in my seat, but what would CC say to that?). 44 out of 300? Say 15 queuing for the loos, plus one more for each loo, plus the mother walking to settle her baby, plus the lotharios permanently parked in the galleys trying to chat up the CC (M or F) or just wanting a drink refill, plus the CC themselves, plus the few getting their passport out of the overhead to write on yet another form, plus ...

Yeah, 44 or 50, easy, if the sign was off, and not one of them doing a 'stupid' thing.

Why on earth is a police investigation underway.. is there any evidence of criminal activity as the cause ?

QF incident
 

The few time I have flown with QF they have been excellent with regard to cabin safety, especially the seat belt rules. A girl I know was severly injured on a BA flight in CAT some years ago.Hope the pax recover soon.

Police Investigation
 

Bruce Wayne, the police are not conducting an investigation, just answering questions obviously asked by the media. Learmonth is not exactly Heathrow and the local police and emergency services would have attended to give what ever assistance possible.

Current charts-0600Z today- are showing a westerly jet(300hPa) of around 110knots right across Australia,roughly Perth to Sydney.

Buckle Up
 

Thanks for this Another red Wine. Most intelligent comment in this debate so far. Its around 10% of passengers injured in some way, and as they are all at the rear of the plane sounds like the standard lengthy qeue for the washrooms. What else does anyone expect?

Yikes! I reckon the 45 deg nose-down attitude on the Brighton Beach Novotel in the background is rather more alarming. :rolleyes:

No, and it's not Oodnadatta or Windorah either. It is the airport selected by the Captain in his sole professional decision, at which he landed his aircraft with no loss of life or airframe.

As my post was deleted, for the person who asked, yes, it is QF SOP for pax AND crew to be seated whenever the SB sign is on. To the mods, this is NOT me speculating, I know this as fact as I used to operate on the Bus for QF...

So plainly if people were up and about it was unexpected.

CAT
 

Who's to say that the turbulance might have already been underway with everyone and everything supposedly "lashed down", seatbelt signs on, and suddenly intensified to an almost unmanagable level ?

It is standard procedure in Oz for the State Police (or the Feds in major ports once they've arm-wrestled control from the Staties) to assume command in any aircraft emergency, so as a Mayday was declared this would be following the protocol.

I'm not sure of the demarcation for any following investigation, but presumably the ATSB (Aviation Transport Safety Board) will take it on at some stage.

A380, A320 and It only took them about three guesses to get it right (just as well the "media" don't fly these aircraft!)

Seriously though...Best wishes to all involved, BUT this is why I always wear my seat belt in-flight.

No doubt those great people in the Ops Department (including the crew) at National Jet Systems did another great job on the recovery plan to get the 717 up there!

Flight was due in Perth at 2:30 but diverted and landed at 1:45 so good chance the SLF were starting to queue for the rear toilets for a "refresh" before landing hence reports that most casualties were at the back

Having done countless trips [over 25 years] across the USA, over the Rockies I never once had to attend hospital but many of my fellow passengers did because they refused/forgot to buckle up when in the cruise. If strapped in [loosely maybe] the chances of injury are fairly small and once the initial jerk attracts one's attention the buckle is tightened pretty quickly! Seeing a meal trolley fly up to the ceiling [with FA in attendance!] and then seeing the return journey knocking out a passenger [those trolleys are heavy!] and the FA break her pelvis, I have always strapped in when sitting. If it's good enough for the pilots, it's good enough for me!

Thanks for the info re Signs ON-CC buckle-up SOP, Little Red Hat. I think my outfit should do that too.

Lear's leap
 

One wonders if Learmount will comment on the landing at Learmonth...

another red wine pls
 

too much common sense there my friend.You'll need to beat it up a bit more. ;)
qantas are pretty good in the seatbelt dept, stricter than some asian carriers I've used on those legs. Folks in or waiting for the crapper, just stretching the legs or whatever could easily account for those numbers after a meal service and as said before being seated with a belt on does not preclude being hurt by flying bags trolleys catering or other pax.Even just being jolted around in a bad position while seated can hurt.

Gotta luv the media, its a 380 (not in service), a 320 (apparently with 200 or so travelling whilst standing) to finally a 330.
Never minds the facts just get the story out.

Hope all involved will be ok.Its a nasty shock being belted around like that even for crusty ol' veterans.(apparently:rolleyes:)

Any word on how the Exmouth hospital coped?
When I was there (within the last year) it was large, but pitifully understaffed.
My sister was turned away (with a painful, but non life threatening injury) because they were 'completely snowed under' i.e. one motorcycle crash victim, one premature labour and a diver who'd lost an argument with a moray eel :confused:

The local opinion was that one's last conscious words should be 'Fly me to Perth, now...'

This article says, among other things, that bone fractures cannot be treated at Exmouth, so those passengers will probably have to be flown to Perth by the Flying Doctor service:

Passengers injured in mid-air incident over Exmouth : thewest.com.au

The police will have absolutely no role to play in this investigation, State or Federal. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will be running this investigation from the beginning, as per Annex 13.