
A harrowing incident unfolded on Sunday as an Air China flight from Chengdu, China, to Singapore had to make an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire. Nine passengers sustained injuries during the emergency evacuation.
Flight CA403, carrying a total of 155 people, including crew members, departed from Chengdu and encountered a severe engine malfunction, leading to an emergency landing in Singapore. The incident garnered widespread attention on social media, with several pictures and videos depicting the dramatic emergency evacuation.
On X (formerly known as Twitter), one user, who claimed to be one of the most followed aviation content creators in China, shared a video showing passengers exiting the stricken aircraft via an emergency slide onto the tarmac. The user detailed the engine trouble, stating that the Pratt & Whitney engine had caught fire, prompting the crew to evacuate the plane on the runway. The aircraft involved in the incident was identified as a four-year-old A320neo with the registration B-305J.
This incident has raised concerns about the Pratt & Whitney PW1100 engines, as they have been linked to design flaws that have resulted in various emergency landings. The affected engines have been installed in over 30 aircraft in Air China’s fleet.
Singapore’s Changi Airport issued a statement on Facebook, reporting that Flight CA403 encountered “smoke in the forward cargo hold and lavatory” during its journey to Singapore. The emergency landing occurred around 4:15 pm (0815 GMT), with all passengers and crew successfully evacuating the aircraft. The statement confirmed that the fire in the left engine had been extinguished.
As a result of the emergency landing, Changi Airport briefly closed its runway, and one aircraft had to be diverted to Batam, an island in Indonesia. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is leading the investigation into the incident and has reached out to its Chinese counterpart for assistance.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of aviation safety protocols and the need for rigorous checks and maintenance to prevent such emergencies. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the engine fire.
Sources By Agencies