Qantas jet makes emergency landing due to engine failure

Whenever we travel, we may encounter some mishaps along the way. For the passengers of Qantas flight QF781, one routine flight turned into a heart-stopping ordeal.

The scheduled four-hour journey was abruptly interrupted by a loud bang that reverberated through the cabin.

The cause? An engine blowout, which forced the pilots to take action by shutting down the engine mid-flight and preparing for an emergency landing.


The Airbus A330-200 aircraft flew from Melbourne and was preparing for descent to Perth when the passengers heard what sounded like a tyre exploding.

The incident sent a wave of panic across the passengers. The pilots, trained for such unforeseen events, manually shut down the affected engine and issued a priority landing notice.


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A Qantas flight from Melbourne to Perth made an emergency landing due to an engine blowout. Image Credit: Raf Jabri/Pexels


As the aircraft made its descent into Perth, emergency crews were on high alert, ready to meet the plane on the tarmac.

The sight of the aircraft escorted by fire trucks to the arrival gate was a sobering one, captured in a photo by one of the passengers.

Despite the fear and uncertainty, the crew's professionalism shone through. Passengers later took to various platforms to commend the pilots and flight attendants for their calm and composed handling of the situation.


‘That landing was very smooth considering we lost an engine upon [sic] decent,’ one passenger posted on social media.

'But thankful I’ve landed ‘cause s**t was scary to sit through. Yes I did cry the whole time and no I won’t be booking a flight soon,' another said.

The relief was palpable as all crew and passengers disembarked safely without further incident.

The focus now shifts to Qantas engineers, who will meticulously examine the engine to determine the cause of the blowout.

The airline's spokesperson assured that the pilots adhered to the strict procedures for such incidents and emphasised that the aircraft are designed to operate safely with one engine.


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The pilot and crew of Qantas flight QF781 were praised online for their handling of the mid-air emergency. Image Credit: Facebook


Former Qantas pilot captain Richard de Crespigny weighed in on the matter, suggesting that the failure could have been due to a back-fire or an issue with one of the engine's many components.

'It might have been a back-fire or one of the 2,000 airfoils in the engine might have departed and created havoc inside the engine,' he said.


He reassured the public that while engine failures are not common, they are a contingency that pilots are well-equipped to manage.

He also commends the crew for handling the emergency well.

'The crew took control, told the traffic what they wanted, did a safe landing and I think they did a safe landing and that did an exceptional job.'

'Engines fail. One in eight pilots will see an engine failure and this is why we have excellent pilots in Australia.'

As the investigation into the engine failure continues, passengers and the broader community will be looking for answers, hoping to regain confidence in the safety of air travel.

Key Takeaways

  • A Qantas flight was forced to make an emergency landing after experiencing an engine blowout mid-flight.
  • The pilots shut down the affected engine and completed a priority landing in Perth, where the plane was met by emergency crews.
  • Passengers praised the pilots and crew for their handling of the situation, despite the mid-air scare being unsettling.
  • Qantas is investigating the cause of the engine failure, with a former Qantas pilot suggesting several possible reasons for the incident.

Have you ever experienced an emergency landing or another in-flight incident? How did the crew handle the situation? Share your stories with us in the comments below.
 
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Back in 2010 we were flying back into Perth from Singapore on Thai Airways. We were in approach to Perth airport and only metres (probably close to 100) from the ground when suddenly the engines began to roar, and we started to gain speed and altitude. We went into a "go around" and were up there for another 10 - 15 minutes before a second attempt at landing, which was smooth and uneventful. We attempted to ask authorities what had happened but we were ushered into the customs hall and never got the chance to find out. It was all a bit disconcerting, especially because my daughter-in-law had never flown before and was extremely anxious even when we were leaving Perth initially, she was physically sick outside the airport, before checking in.
 
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You really shouldn't show a photo of a Boeing 747-400 when the aircraft in question was an Airbus A-330. Truth in journalism ??
 
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So what's all the drama in the headline that said engineS? Was only one engine after all.
Exactly - no great drama. One engine out is really no great deal, the aircraft can safely fly on one engine. It's when two engines fail on a two engined aircraft that you start to change your underwear.
 
The depicted image is a Boeing B747-400 No relation to the aircraft involved. It was an AIRBUS A330-200 [ the oldest A330-200 in the QF fleet [[VH-EBA]].
 
Back in 2010 we were flying back into Perth from Singapore on Thai Airways. We were in approach to Perth airport and only metres (probably close to 100) from the ground when suddenly the engines began to roar, and we started to gain speed and altitude. We went into a "go around" and were up there for another 10 - 15 minutes before a second attempt at landing, which was smooth and uneventful. We attempted to ask authorities what had happened but we were ushered into the customs hall and never got the chance to find out. It was all a bit disconcerting, especially because my daughter-in-law had never flown before and was extremely anxious even when we were leaving Perth initially, she was physically sick outside the airport, before checking in.mOST LIK
 
Most probably a missed approach. The aircraft may have been no ''stable'' for landing or landing too far past the piano keys at the threshold of the runway. Not a rare event. Could also have been an obstruction on the runway.
 

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