A Qantas Airways’ flight faced a mid-flight issue on Monday (March 25) night, following which the pilots had to shut down one of its two engines. The airline informed that the pilots operating a Qantas Airways flight took precautionary measures by shutting down one of the two engines due to an issue encountered during approach to Perth.
Despite the incident, the Airbus A330-200 aircraft landed safely, with the pilots requesting a priority landing and successfully taxiing to the gate under its own power, according to a spokesperson for Australia’s largest airline.
According to the Australian media sources, the passengers aboard the Melbourne to Perth flight reported hearing a loud noise or bang from one side of the plane.
Engineers inspecting aircraft
Qantas, the flagship carrier of Australia, said that the engineers are inspecting the aircraft. The carrier expressed gratitude to onboard flyers for their cooperation and understanding during the event, acknowledging the potential unease it may have caused.
“We know this would have been unsettling for customers on board and we thank them for their cooperation and understanding,” Qantas said.
Pilots trained to tackle engine failures
It may be noted that while engine failures are uncommon, twin-engine aircraft like the Airbus A330-200 are engineered to continue flying on one engine and the pilots are trained to do so.
Notably, the twin-aisle aircraft involved in the incident is reported to be 21 years old, according to aviation intelligence provider ch-aviation.