Plane leaks fuel
AN Air Niugini passenger jet with 51 people on board made an emergency landing at Cairns airport yesterday after fuel spewed from the plane shortly after takeoff.
Flight PX093 bound for Port Moresby left Cairns at 12.50pm before landing again at 1.15pm after the problem was noticed.
The plane had 46 passengers and five crew on board.
Air Niugini Australia regional manager Charles Morley said the plane returned because of a "technical issue".
Mr Morley said the problem was fixed at Cairns before the jet took off safely at 2.30pm.
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau spokesman confirmed a fuel leak was the problem.
"The aircraft, we understand, was venting fuel on its takeoff roll," he said.
"The pilot was advised by air traffic control of its condition. The pilot elected to return to Cairns.
"We don’t have an understanding of what the issue was but we understand the aircraft was repaired in Cairns and has now departed for Papua New Guinea."
Plane spotter Stephen Bottom was taking photos near the airport at the time of the incident and said he knew there was a problem as soon at the Fokker 100 took off.
"(Fuel) was pouring out. I just thought it was exhaust smoke but it wasn’t," he said.
"The tower got onto him straight away and must have told him he was venting fuel so he came back.
"I could smell the fuel."
Airport firefighters accompanied the plane to the terminal once it had landed, ensuring the leaked fuel did not ignite.
"I have been watching planes for 30 years and I have seen this before but not like that," Mr Bottom said.
"It was still pouring out after about 90 seconds so there was an awful lot of fuel." Another witness, who asked not to be named, said pedestrians on Digger St saw the plane was in trouble as it flew overhead shortly after takeoff.
"You could see the fuel escaping straight away," he said.
"There was people on Digger St and construction workers nearby, everyone was looking at it.
"It had taken off over the city. They usually turn left anyway but it was still spewing out fuel.
"It didn’t climb like it was getting to altitude, it just came around in a circle and landed again."
No one on board the plane was injured in the incident.
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Sky-high drama: Passengers aboard an Air Niugini passenger jet endured anxious moments when their plane was recalled because of leaking fuel. Picture: STEPHEN BOTTOM
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