Sat 30 May 2009
A Sydney-to-Gold Coast Virgin Blue flight has made an emergency landing in Brisbane amid fears of an “engineering” fault.
The 160 people on flight DJ523 landed safely this afternoon after a nose tyre burst on take-off in Sydney.
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An Australian Transport Safety Bureau spokesman said airport staff in Sydney spotted tyre rubber on the runway after the plane departed.
“They routinely check the runways and that would have alerted them to the need to take precautions,” he said.
The flight had been scheduled to land at Coolangatta but made the unscheduled precautionary landing at Brisbane about 2.30pm (AEST), a Virgin Blue spokeswoman said.
After landing without incident, crews found one of the tyres on the main landing gear had burst, and replaced the tyre.
The plane then taxied to the bay, where 109 passengers on board disembarked and were put on buses to the Gold Coast.
- with AAP
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