AirAsia flight QZ545 was forced to make an emergency return to Perth after flames were spotted coming from its engine shortly after take-off.
AirAsia flight QZ545, bound for I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali, was forced to return to Perth, Australia, after experiencing engine problems. The aeroplane left Perth Airport at 6.30 PM local time on Sunday, the 24th of August.
Just an hour from take-off, passengers reported seeing flames coming from the engine. This sparked panic among them.
“At first we thought it was lightning, but because we were sitting in the emergency exit row, we could see [it] clearly,” one anonymous passenger told the press.
The passenger also added, “It looked like a small explosion with flames.”
The Perth Airport spokesperson reported that the aeroplane landed after experiencing engine problems during take-off. The spokesperson also confirmed that all the passengers were rebooked on two separate morning flights, departing at 3.30 AM and 6.30 AM local time on the following Monday (the 25th of August).
“Flames were seen coming up from the plane’s engine, and also a series of loud popping sounds were reportedly coming from that engine,” the unnamed airport spokesperson said.
However, the aircraft needed to circle multiple times around Rottnest Island, Western Australia, to jettison fuel before landing in Perth, since it could not land under the weight of a full fuel tank and also, to ensure it was at a safe landing weight after experiencing engine problems.
As of the writing of this article, AirAsia has not yet provided an official public response to this incident.