Computer Glitch in Qantas Incident?

Air Safety Week, Oct 13, 2008

A computer glitch may have caused a Qantas Airbus A330-300 to suddenly plunge Oct. 7, injuring over 50 passengers and crew.

The jetliner was cruising at 37,000 feet when the flight deck crew received an automated warning of an "irregularity with the aircraft's elevator control system," Julian Walsh, director of aviation safety, Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB) told reporters in Canberra. "The aircraft departed normal flight and climbed 300 feet. The aircraft did that of its own accord and then, whilst the crew were doing the normal actions in response to that not normal situation, the aircraft then pitched down suddenly and quite rapidly," he added.

Qantas said it was too early to speculate on the cause of the violent change in altitude of Flight QF72 bound from Singapore to Perth carrying 313 passengers and crew.

The airliner made an emergency landing at a military base near Exmouth in remote Western Australia.

Media reports had speculated that clear air turbulence might have prompted the serious incident. And a flurry of news reports speculate that electromagnetic interference from a laptop computer or another electronic device of a passenger might be the culprit. ATSB investigators will ask passengers if they were using any electronic equipment at the time of this latest incident.

ATSB investigators examining the aircraft in Exmouth, removing its flight data and cockpit voice recorders for inspection. Investigator from the French Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses (BEA) and Airbus Industrie will assist in the air safety probe. A preliminary report could be available within 30 days.

Meanwhile, the ATSB continues its investigation of a July 25 incident in which a Qantas Boeing 747-400 had to make an emergency landing in Manila after an oxygen tank exploded at 29,000 feet, ripping a gaping hole in the fuselage. Fortunately, there were no injuries.

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