In-flight upset due to software error resulting in two pitch-downs
Site
Indian Ocean;
80NM from Learmonth 22°14′06″S114°05′18″E / 22.23500°S 114.08833°E / -22.23500; 114.08833
Aircraft
Aircraft type
Airbus A330-303
Aircraft name
Kununurra
Operator
Qantas
Registration
VH-QPA
Flight origin
Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore
Destination
Perth Airport, Australia
Occupants
315
Passengers
303
Crew
12
Fatalities
0
Injuries
118
Survivors
315
Qantas Flight 72 (QF72) was a scheduled flight from Singapore Changi Airport to Perth Airport by an Airbus A330. On 7 October 2008, the flight made an emergency landing at Learmonth Airport near the town of Exmouth, Western Australia, following an inflight accident that included a pair of sudden, uncommanded pitch-down manoeuvres that caused severe injuries—including fractures, lacerations and spinal injuries—to several of the passengers and crew.[1][2][3][4][5] At Learmonth, the plane was met by the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia and CareFlight.[6][7] Fourteen people were airlifted to Perth for hospitalisation, with 39 others also attending hospital.[8][9][10][11] In all, one crew member and 11 passengers suffered serious injuries, while eight crew and 99 passengers suffered minor injuries.[12] The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation found a fault with one of the aircraft's three air data inertial reference units (ADIRUs) and a previously unknown software design limitation of the Airbus A330's fly-by-wire flight control primary computer (FCPC).
^"2008/40 – Qantas Airbus Incident Media Conference" (Press release). Australian Transport Safety Bureau. 8 October 2008. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2008.
^"2008/40a – ATSB Airbus investigation update" (Press release). Australian Transport Safety Bureau. 9 October 2008. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
^"2008/40b – Qantas Airbus Accident Media Conference" (Press release). Australian Transport Safety Bureau. 10 October 2008. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
^"2008/43 – Qantas Airbus A330 accident Media Conference" (Press release). Australian Transport Safety Bureau. 14 October 2008. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
^
Siddique, Haroon (7 October 2008). "Qantas flight makes emergency landing as dozens of passengers injured". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
^Knowles, Gabrielle; Strick, Ben; Torre, Giovanne (8 October 2008). "Mayday in WA: Dozens hurt as Qantas jet plunges 8000ft". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 11 December 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Weber, David (8 October 2008). "Confusion surrounds Qantas emergency landing". AM. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
^"In-flight upset, 154 km west of Learmonth, WA, 7 October 2008, VH-QPA, Airbus A330-303 – Interim Factual" (PDF). Aviation Occurrence Investigation AO-2008-070. Australian Transport Safety Bureau. 6 March 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
^
Taylor, Rob (8 October 2008). "Computer glitch may have caused Qantas jet plunge". Reuters. Retrieved 8 October 2008.
^
"Australian jet plunge injures 40". BBC News. BBC. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2008.
^
Hradecky, Simon (7 October 2008). "Accident: Qantas A333 near Learmonth on 7 Oct 2008, sudden inflight upset injures 74 people on board". The Aviation Herald.
^"AO-2008-070: In-flight upset, 154 km west of Learmonth, WA, 7 October 2008, VH-QPA, Airbus A330-303". Aviation Safety Investigation Report – Preliminary. Australian Transport Safety Bureau. 14 November 2008. Archived from the original on 10 November 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2008.
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