Australia’s air safety watchdog, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, has launched a serious investigation after a mid-air incident injured fifteen passengers travelling on a Qantas Boeing 747 flight from Melbourne to Hong Kong on April 7.
Details of the event, which is believed to have occurred in the final hour of the nine and a half hour flight, have only just emerged — close to a week after the event unfolded.
The incident, a so-called ‘stick shaker,’ which causes the aircraft’s control stick to shake noisily in an attempt to warn the flight deck of an imminent stall, took place during the final hour of the nine and a half hour flight.
The Australian adds that the flight also experienced “airframe buffeting,” which typically causes vibration.
“The ATSB is investigating a stick shaker activation involving a Qantas Boeing 747, VH-OJU, 110km SE of Hong Kong, on 7 April 2017,” the Australian Transport Safety Bureau told the publication in a statement.
“The flight crew disconnected the autopilot and manoeuvred the aircraft in response. Fifteen passengers received minor injuries.”It said it would interview the flight crew and gather information.”
A Qantas spokesperson confirmed the incident to the outlet on Wednesday.
“Customers on QF29 experienced unexpected in-flight turbulence when travelling from Melbourne to Hong Kong on Friday,” a Qantas spokesperson said. “We notified the ATSB of the occurrence, and our own teams are also reviewing the event.”
Speaking to The Australian, aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas, described the incident as “extremely rare” and “very, very serious”.
The investigation is set be completed in August.
