Qantas 747 collides with luggage cart

[Ikara]

Hot off the wire................I believe it was QF11.

ALMOST 300 passengers were evacuated from a Qantas jet in Los Angeles after it collided with a luggage cart early today.
The accident, involving a Boeing 747-400 from Sydney, happened about 11.10am LA time (4.20am AEST).
A Qantas spokesman said the 288 passengers on board left the plane via stairs onto the runway.
The spokesman said engineers were inspecting the aircraft, but the cause of the mishap was unknown.
One of the engines is believed to have been damaged.

 

[kelix]

yea heard it on the radio.. crazy stuff...

 

[serfty]

Heard it on my Clock radio (3AW) ~6:10am. They called a LAX airport customer relations manager who stated slight damage occured to one of the outboard engines and the aircrft would not be continuing until fully certifed by FAA officials.

I note on the Qantas website that there seems to be few QF delays out of LAX this morning (Oz Time).

 

[serfty]

Terse Fairfax Article: Passengers evacuated in Qantas LA mishap - Breaking News - World - Breaking News

Iteresting time slip of 10 minutes: "... about 11.10am local time (4.20am AEST) ..."

I note that QF11 departed SYD yesterday at 14:50 about 1½ hours later than the scheduled 13:25. It was scheduled to arrive at 9:45 so 11:10 is about right if you take the delayed departure into account.

If it was QF11, the QF web site is showing it as arriving 12:35 so it took over 80 mins after the collision to get it to the gate.

 

[bigjobs]

my suggestion would be that the luggage cart/ground handling vehicle hit the 744 rather than is being suggested.

i think the ground vehicle was probably somewhere it was not supposed to be or someone was taking a shortcut of some kind.

i'd like some more info.

i find it amusing to watch the actions of most ground crews at airports. sometimes i am surprised i have not seen a serious injury or even a death!

 

[serfty]

What I did hear on the radio from the LAX airport customer relations director they spoke to was that aircraft have right of way at all times at LAX. The 744 was taxiing after landing from Oz and the luggage cart was in the wrong place, colliding with one of the Jumbo's outer engines. I believe the ground transport equipment was in motion but I am not certain.

Here's an updated article with a bit more detail:
Qantas plane in cargo collision - World - theage.com.au

Qantas flight QF 11 landed at LAX from Sydney ... headed to its gate ... when the incident occurred, airport public relations director Nancy Castles said.

The 288 passengers and 19 crew, as well as the driver of the cargo loading vehicle, suffered no injuries, Ms Castles said.

...

Luggage was then unloaded before the aircraft, which sustained engine damage, was towed to the airline's maintenance hangar.

Ms Castles was unable to say what caused the accident, but said all aircraft had priority on taxiways.

"The plane was moving on its assigned taxiway and then the cargo loading equipment crossed the taxiway," Ms Castles said.

"Our policy is that moving aircraft has the right of way."

A Qantas spokesman said its engineers were inspecting the aircraft.

He confirmed the airline would investigate the cause of the accident.

The US National Transport Safety Board would also investigate the incident, Ms Castles said.