Aircraft Has Eventful Trip

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32322, 13 June 1970, Page 40

Aircraft Has Eventful Trip

(New Zealand Press Association)

HAMILTON, June 12.

A Boeing 707 airliner, carrying 135 passengers from Australia arrived at Auckland International Airport last evening after losing cabin-pressure and then altitude high over the Tasman Sea, according to a “Waikato Times” reporter who was aboard.

In a series of dramatic manoeuvres, the captain of Qantas flight 854 decided to drop altitude by several thousand feet and fly at a reduced speed rather than turn back to Sydney Airport for repairs. Passengers arrived more than an hour late at Auckland.

Violent hissing and spluttering gave the first indication of depressurisation as the aircraft gained height after leaving Kingsford Smith Airport. In an announcement to passengers, the pilot said that 'repair crews would be stand- ; ing by in Auckland, but speed .would have to be reduced to

avoid excessive loss of pressure.

Many passengers in the firstclass section were forced to cover their ears as depressurisation increased. Several times, aircraft crew, including hostesses and stewards—were asked by the captain to take their seats and don safety belts as the plane dropped low over the Tasman. A Sydney businessman, Mr T. Eady, who was making his second visit to New Zealand, said on arrival that the trip had been “nerve-wracking.” but he had been confident of the pilot’s ability to bring the plane safely into Auckland. “1 felt a trifle woosey in the stomach when the aircraft lost altitude once, but the hissing noise was hearable in my section of the plane,” he said.

A Press Association message from Auckland said that a faulty seal on the door to the first-class compartment forced the captain to fly at 15,000 ft. The fault was noticed soon after take-off from Sydney, and prevented the aircraft from climbing to the normal cruising height of 35,000 ft.

A Qantas spokesman in ; Auckland said: “The captain noticed the loss of pressure iand radioed Sydney to check ithat Auckland had a spare door seal. Rather than inconivenience passengers, he decided to carry on.”