A SYDNEY-BOUND Regional Express (Rex) flight landed safely at Dubbo airport on Friday afternoon after a suspected electrical fault prompted the pilot to turn back the aircraft.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The flight carrying 33 passengers had taken off just after 2pm when the pilot contacted ground staff to report the issue.
Firefighters, police and three ambulances converged on the airport as the aircraft circled then landed about 3.39pm, where it remained on the runway for ten minutes before passengers got off and walked to the terminal.
Orana Local Area Command Inspector Mark Dixon said the pilot took steps to correct the problem, and when that did not work the emergency response was activated.
Firefighters drove trucks onto the runway behind the aircraft and firefighters were at the ready to deploy foam if required, Fire and Rescue NSW Dubbo Station Officer Adam Wixx said.
Dubbo City Regional Airport operations manager Lindsay Mason said the aircraft had "one of the most experienced pilots you could get" flying the aircraft and the emergency response went exactly to plan.
"The plane has been disabled and engineers will fly to Dubbo to check it over before it takes off again," he said.
"The passengers were in good spirits when they got off and the ground crew are looking after them while they wait for another aircraft."
A Sydney resident returning home on the flight commended the flight crew, who "brilliantly handled" the situation.
"It was unusual, we were circling and then the pilot said we would return to Dubbo as a precaution," she said.
"I wasn't concerned. A hostie constantly checked everyone was OK and the pilot explained to us what had happened before we got off the plane. We're getting a meal voucher.
"We were offered a bus to take us from the runway to the terminal but we were happy to walk, to get a bit of fresh air after all that."
