Emergency Landing of Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300
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May 16 (Reuters) - Terrified passengers aboard a Cathay Pacific plane prayed together as their aircraft, one of its engines on fire, made its way back to Singapore on Monday, and their calm response earned praise from the captain.
Cathay Pacific said the Airbus 330, bound for Jakarta with 136 passengers on board, landed back in Singapore "without incident" just before 2 a.m. It said the crew shut down the engine after receiving a "stall warning".
Reuters photographer Beawiharta was aboard the plane with his wife, two sons and daughter. About 20 minutes after take-off, there were two sharp bangs, sending cabin staff scurrying to retrieve the meals they had only just begun serving.
The plane began shaking violently, he said, and the lights went out. He could smell something burning.
His son, Pradipta, 15, said he saw nothing as he peered out the window.
"But I asked him to cup his hands to get a better view," Beawiharta said. "He shouted: 'I see fire! I see fire!'
"Panicked, he then asked: 'Will we die? Will we die?' I took his hand and told him firmly: 'No, we are going to live.'
"Behind us, passengers were praying: 'God, save our flight! Give us your protection!'"
The prayers got louder and louder, pierced by only the occasional cry of panic.
"A stewardess told us an engine had caught fire and we were on our way back to Singapore. Glued to the window, my son said he could see lights, the sea and ships and then lights on the ground. We all grabbed life jackets from beneath our seats, but the plane landed smoothly.
"Within five minutes, as firefighters doused the damaged engine, we walked off the plane into the terminal."
In the waiting room, the pilot greeted assembled passengers.
"The best that we can ever ask of passengers is to stay cool, stay calm ... which you did," he said. "And for that we thank you." (Additional reporting by by Harry Suhartono and by Alison Leung in Hong Kong; Writing by Ron Popeski; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Cathay Pacific said the Airbus 330, bound for Jakarta with 136 passengers on board, landed back in Singapore "without incident" just before 2 a.m. It said the crew shut down the engine after receiving a "stall warning".
Reuters photographer Beawiharta was aboard the plane with his wife, two sons and daughter. About 20 minutes after take-off, there were two sharp bangs, sending cabin staff scurrying to retrieve the meals they had only just begun serving.
The plane began shaking violently, he said, and the lights went out. He could smell something burning.
His son, Pradipta, 15, said he saw nothing as he peered out the window.
"But I asked him to cup his hands to get a better view," Beawiharta said. "He shouted: 'I see fire! I see fire!'
"Panicked, he then asked: 'Will we die? Will we die?' I took his hand and told him firmly: 'No, we are going to live.'
"Behind us, passengers were praying: 'God, save our flight! Give us your protection!'"
The prayers got louder and louder, pierced by only the occasional cry of panic.
"A stewardess told us an engine had caught fire and we were on our way back to Singapore. Glued to the window, my son said he could see lights, the sea and ships and then lights on the ground. We all grabbed life jackets from beneath our seats, but the plane landed smoothly.
"Within five minutes, as firefighters doused the damaged engine, we walked off the plane into the terminal."
In the waiting room, the pilot greeted assembled passengers.
"The best that we can ever ask of passengers is to stay cool, stay calm ... which you did," he said. "And for that we thank you." (Additional reporting by by Harry Suhartono and by Alison Leung in Hong Kong; Writing by Ron Popeski; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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Video of Captain talking to pax (safely on the ground)
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I haven't stopped laughing since I read that. O.....M.....G!!
About 20 minutes after take-off, there were two sharp bangs, sending cabin staff scurrying to retrieve the meals they had only just begun serving. The plane began shaking violently, he said, and the lights went out. He could smell something burning.
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Emergency Landing of Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300
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This is the link to Cathay's statement:
Cathay Pacific statement on CX715 incident
Cathay Pacific statement on CX715 incident
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And this is the Sydney Morning Herald's story:
Cathay Pacific Airbus A330 engine fire | Turns back to Singapore
You'd wonder if they were about the same incident!
Cathay Pacific Airbus A330 engine fire | Turns back to Singapore
You'd wonder if they were about the same incident!
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Try the UK Mail!
A bit more than a compressor stall, methinks...
Come on guys, this does not smell like a "routine in flight shut down non-event".
The aircraft was in the air for an hour. The incident occurred at the beginning of meal service, so around TOC?
Assuming the crew shut down the affected engine, then descended and approached into Singapore, that engine had been shut down for about half an hour, most of that time in sub-zero air temperature, by the time they got to the taxiway.
And still had sparks coming out of it, that were doused with a fire extinguisher.
Guys and gals: this thing was "on fire". Maybe not a very serious fire, but enough to leave soot all over the nacelle.
Kinda like the soot another fractured oil line on a Roller might leave?
Just askin', ya know?
The aircraft was in the air for an hour. The incident occurred at the beginning of meal service, so around TOC?
Assuming the crew shut down the affected engine, then descended and approached into Singapore, that engine had been shut down for about half an hour, most of that time in sub-zero air temperature, by the time they got to the taxiway.
And still had sparks coming out of it, that were doused with a fire extinguisher.
Guys and gals: this thing was "on fire". Maybe not a very serious fire, but enough to leave soot all over the nacelle.
Kinda like the soot another fractured oil line on a Roller might leave?
Just askin', ya know?
In control: Captain Bradley Chic apologises to passengers after they were evacuated in the emergency landing
It's good to see that plenty of people remembered to take their hand baggage and duty free fags with them during the 'emergency evacuation.'
A bit more than a compressor stall, methinks...
Come on guys, this does not smell like a "routine in flight shut down non-event".
The aircraft was in the air for an hour. The incident occurred at the beginning of meal service, so around TOC?
Assuming the crew shut down the affected engine, then descended and approached into Singapore, that engine had been shut down for about half an hour, most of that time in sub-zero air temperature, by the time they got to the taxiway.
And still had sparks coming out of it, that were doused with a fire extinguisher.
Guys and gals: this thing was "on fire". Maybe not a very serious fire, but enough to leave soot all over the nacelle.
Kinda like the soot another fractured oil line on a Roller might leave?
Just askin', ya know?
Come on guys, this does not smell like a "routine in flight shut down non-event".
The aircraft was in the air for an hour. The incident occurred at the beginning of meal service, so around TOC?
Assuming the crew shut down the affected engine, then descended and approached into Singapore, that engine had been shut down for about half an hour, most of that time in sub-zero air temperature, by the time they got to the taxiway.
And still had sparks coming out of it, that were doused with a fire extinguisher.
Guys and gals: this thing was "on fire". Maybe not a very serious fire, but enough to leave soot all over the nacelle.
Kinda like the soot another fractured oil line on a Roller might leave?
Just askin', ya know?
Typically it takes damage to create a compressor stall in the air.
damage commonly involves bits of parts banging arround as the engine windmills, creating sparks.
The good news is that it sounds like it was a contained failure and the sparks only went aft out the inlet or tailpipe.
The fire (aft out the tailpipe) itself only lasts until the pilot shuts the fuel off (windmilling still occurs)
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"Terrified passengers aboard blazing jetliner"
