QF 122 ex ZQN, diverted to Christchurch

[RooFlyer]

Reported as an 'engine fire' (it "burst into flames") soon after take off from Queenstown, (but looking possibly to be compressor stalls), QF122 diverted to Christchurch.

Nothing to see here, not worth extracting anything from behind the paywall

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/qantas-plane-diverted-after-flames-seen-from-engine-on-takeoff/news-story/437c00a3d40f25c107e0c8e809d71741

Better:

Qantas plane diverted after flames appear to burst from engine

It is understood the plane experienced an engine issue.

www.nine.com.au

 

[Rabs97]

Those are compressor stalls and the “flames” are the backfiring of such, not an Engine Fire according to the manufacturer definition. Reported as a potential birdstrike after V1.

Hats off to the crew, flying an engine out departure down the valley of Lake Wakatipu is one of the most demanding things they would ever encounter in their careers.

 

[AIRwin]

Reminds me of:

Passenger praises pilots after Virgin flight to Melbourne makes emergency landing due to engine fire

A passenger on a Melbourne-bound flight which had to make an emergency landing in New Zealand after an engine caught fire has praised the pilots for managing a safe descent and ensuring no-one was injured.

www.abc.net.au

 

[antycbr]

Those are compressor stalls and the “flames” are the backfiring of such, not an Engine Fire according to the manufacturer definition. Reported as a potential birdstrike after V1.

Hats off to the crew, flying an engine out departure down the valley of Lake Wakatipu is one of the most demanding things they would ever encounter in their careers.

If I remember correctly crews need to be specifically rated on ZQN due to exactly this scenario.

 

[nancypants]

Not sensationalist at all from the gutter press

 

[Melburnian1]

A report on Sunday 6 September's Channel 7 news (Melbourne) interviewed passengers, one of whom said the crew remained calm, but she and another passenger said travellers on board were variously 'shaking' and 'screaming'.

 

[flydoc2]

View attachment 520001
Not sensationalist at all from the gutter press

The reporting by ABC only slightly more measured:

'People were screaming': Qantas passengers tell of engine spitting fire

Flight QF122 had just left Queenstown in New Zealand on Saturday when it was diverted over what the airline said was a "suspected engine issue".

www.abc.net.au

Includes the following gems:

“International aviation consultant Neil Hansford said that while it remained unclear what caused the issue, an engine blade might have detached.
‘And obviously when it's a piece of metal going at that many revs, it's hit a fuel line and the fuel's ignited’, he said.
‘So the captain's able to shut the engine down, use the fire suppression system and put the fire out…’”

 

[nancypants]

I’m not even an international aviation consultant and I somehow have a better understanding of a compressor stall than one

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I guess every ‘emergency’ is different… but my experience of an engine failure was the complete opposite to the above reports.

We were leaving from Perth on a Qantas 767 when shortly after takeoff the left engine failed, with a slight vibration felt in the cabin.

In contrast to ‘passengers screaming’ and ‘panic’… everyone was remarkably calm and simply… silent!

We returned to Perth, three or four fire trucks waiting by the runway which escorted us back to the gate.

After landing there was a rather noticeable notice gap in the engine fan blades… found out later apparently a 15 inch section broke off a fan blade (presumably ingested).

We all disembarked and were out on the next flight(s).

Is the reporting confusing ‘gasps’ with ‘screams’?

 

[RooFlyer]

I guess flames coming out the back of the engine is a bit more obvious and startling than a dead engine.

Wonder what compressor stalls sound like in the cabin (above the screaming )

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I guess flames coming out the back of the engine is a bit more obvious and startling than a dead engine.

Wonder what compressor stalls sound like in the cabin (above the screaming )

Maybe.

In our case it was a pretty obvious emergency: unusual vibration in the cabin, loss of power, change of flight path, announcement by one of the pilots, rapid cabin crew activity to re-secure the cabin.

Maybe it was the lax on our flight that were unusually calm?