Qantas Airbus A330 Incident Flight 72, Singapore to Perth 07 Oct 2008

1. Qantas Airbus A330 Incident Flight 72, Singapore to Perth 07 Oct 2008 OR Why you should always wear your seat belt on an aircraft

2. ATSB Investigation • Cruising at 37,000 ft, one of three air data inertial reference units (ADIRUs) started generating incorrect flight data • Two minutes later, in response to this data, the aircraft computers commanded the aircraft to pitch down. • The aircraft pitched nose-down 8.4 degrees and descended 650 ft, followed by a second pitching event 2 minutes later at 3.5 degrees nose-down, descending 400 ft. • At least 110 of the 303 passengers and 9 of the 12 crew members were injured; 12 occupants were seriously injured, another 39 received hospital medical treatment. • Most of the injuries involved passengers who were seated without their seatbelts fastened or were standing.

3. Weatherford employee account • It was a terrifying experience, followed by an 8-hour wait at a remote airfield. • After the first nose-dive, the captain came on the PA and said it was “difficulty with the aircraft control systems.” It then dived again, which made for a terrifying 40 minutes before landing, wondering if the plane could be landed safely.

4. This is where we landed

5. Blurry, but note the ceiling panels broken and dislodged as unbelted passengers slammed into the ceiling. Also note the broken doors on the overhead bins.

7. This gives you an idea of the force with which people were thrown about.

8. Blood on the toilet door. Broken galley doors.

9. What is this?

10. This was a few rows behind me. A flight attendant’s head and shoulders punched through the ceiling. They carried him out on a back board in a neck brace.

17. Note the bent aluminum rail along the galley counter top.

18. Wear your seat belt at every possible moment!