A mid-air engine failure was the cause of an aircraft incident involving an Airbus A320 near Narrabri, an investigation has found.
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The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has released the report into the September 22 incident last year involving a Jestar Airways aircraft travelling from Sydney to Cairns.
The report said the aircraft took off from Sydney airport just after 4pm that day when about 4.30pm a crew member alerted the flight crew to an ‘unusual odour’ in the cabin.
After an inspection in the cabin, the ATSB report said crew members determined the ‘burnt electrical type odour’ was in the area of rows one to five.
The report said about two minutes later the flight crew received an engine two, oil filter clog message but there was no further action needed.
At 4.45pm smoke was detected entering the cabin and the cabin crew were told to stop cabin service.
The report said it was then the flight crew felt a vibration and heard an unusual noise from the right engine and the aircraft yawed to the right.
At the same time a message appeared in the cockpit of engine failure.
The report said the flight crew began an engine failure check list and switched on the seat belt sign.
While in the middle of the check list smoke was seen coming from the cockpit ventilation system and the flight crew were forced to wear oxygen masks.
They depressed the right engine fire button that isolated the engine systems from the rest of the aircraft and shortly after, the flight crew saw that the smoke had dissipated and they removed their oxygen masks.
The flight proceeded to Brisbane Airport and landed without further incident.
No one was injured in the incident and the aircraft was not damaged.
The ATSB said the incident highlights the importance of effective crew management techniques, training and robust emergency procedures when in an unanticipated situation.