On Saturday, the double-check Airbus A380 made a successful emergency landing at Goose Bay Airport, Canada, while traveling from Paris to Los Angeles, CNN reported. The flight was crossing the Atlantic ocean when the incident happened.
According to an Air France statement, the flight suffered serious damage to one of its four engines, but the trained pilots and crew members of the flight handled the situation perfectly. The airline also said that the passengers have been assisted by the dispatch team at the airport.
Engine failed over the Atlantic
Texas-based aviation company FlightAware said that Air France Flight 66 departed from Paris at 11:42 PM (local time) and possibly arrived in 6 hours and 37 minutes at the Goose Bay airport in Canada, at 11:47 AM ADT (Atlantic Daylight Time).
#AirbusA380 pic.twitter.com/iyglPtZMP9
— VICKY VERMA (@verma2470) October 1, 2017
#AFR66 en route to #LAX diverted to YYR after engine failure: https://t.co/13Rxy6vg4f pic.twitter.com/kkIlj92z7V
— FlightAware (@flightaware) September 30, 2017
The Airbus A380 was flying at the altitude of 37,000 feet near Greenland when it experienced engine failure, Flightradar 24 reported. The live flight tracker tweeted on Sunday that AFR380V would bring the passengers of AFF 66 to Los Angeles.
It would have been a large airplane incident if the pilots failed to take quick action and land the aircraft safely. It takes an average 11 to 12 hours to travel from Paris to Los Angeles by the largest Airbus A380.
#AFR380V landing in Goose Bay, will bring #AF66 passengers to Los Angeles.https://t.co/89dwVPskkL pic.twitter.com/nJKWSXh5hk
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) October 1, 2017
Witnesses' statements
Passengers reported that they heard the explosion in the engine which caused the plane to vibrate, leaving passengers in shock, but none of them were harmed.
It was the terrifying view while looking out of the window that scared them. Witness Pamela Adams said that the explosion was like the plane collided with a jeep at 35,000 feet, the Sun reported.
One of the passengers, John Birkhead, was traveling on the flight with his wife when he suddenly felt an enormous bang. He said that he had been stretching out and was talking to his wife.
He also added that "We were lucky we weren't tossed to the ground," the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
In the photographs, the front part of the flight's engine on the right side was completely sheared apart. Some portions of the engine's fan were missing. These generated most of the engine's thrust. There was no information about the fire on the external part of the engine.
PHOTO Air France #AF66 Paris to Los Angeles declared Mayday. Emergency landing in Goose Bay. #4 engine suffered severe damage.
— Tom Podolec (@TomPodolec) September 30, 2017
📷@DanMcneely pic.twitter.com/24V2LRcuKD
The engine manufacturer for the Airbus A380, Engine Alliance, said that the company would look into the matter.
On May 31, 2009, Air France Flight 447 from Rio De Janerio to Paris crashed into the Atlantic ocean and killed 228 passengers on board. A pilot of the flight shouted: "F–k, we’re dead!"