Christmas Island - ended with a BANG! But not the one I wanted. Back with pics.
Flew out from CI at 1615 today. At about 3000ft into takeoff - Bang!...I mean BIG bang goes inboard engine on my side of plane. The BANG sent a shudder through the whole plane...... would of been a great photo opportunity (camera in my lap)......but my mind was on...well this is it, the wing should blow up next. Nice being here...see ya later.
Lots of screams as plane yawed and shuddered. Hostess ran down, saw flames and ran up to cock pit. Pilot down for a look too. Could feel the heat through the fuselage!. Finally engine shuts down. Circle for awhile and land back at CI. Hmmm, wouldn't pay for that ride again!
Engine cactus. Replacement plane tomorrow...apparently.
Bourbon is kicking in now.
Cheers and glad to be posting this!
Pete
Finally made it back to Perth at 3am yesterday.
The replacement plane arrived about 5.30pm at CI. Taxied in, door opens, ‘bang’ - off goes the emergency slide. Hmmm, yeah, we weren’t excited about this flight either.
Anyway, the plane was taking passengers to Cocos first, then returning at 9pm to pick up 13 passengers (including me) for the trip back to Perth. More time for a few more bourbons.
A turbulent landing at Perth finally completed the journey…at last.
Slide on the deck;
Pilot replacing the emergency slide cartridge;
Take off for Cocos Island;
Bung plane on the left;
Goatch
Posts: 1011
Date Joined: 03/07/07
Farkin hell !!!!
Not an experience too many FIFO boys would want to read about , thank christ they got you back on the ground in one piece.
Just one more cast , honest !!!
Faulkner Family
Posts: 17861
Date Joined: 11/03/08
bloody hell Pete, i think a
bloody hell Pete, i think a few nerve settlers would go down well after that
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
DazSamFishing
Posts: 1518
Date Joined: 19/08/09
Faaaaarrkkk. That's one
Faaaaarrkkk. That's one thing I was worried about when I was taking off... didn't feel safe for the first 5 minutes.
Good to hear you landed!
Matt T
Posts: 875
Date Joined: 19/11/07
Wow
Can imagine that would scare the daylights out of ya! How big was the plane?
SamC
Posts: 2013
Date Joined: 30/08/06
WOW
Thats crazy!
Go buy a lotto ticket Pete...
and change your undies
Cheers,
Sam
Diagi
Posts: 28
Date Joined: 20/08/09
Damn
Small plane doesn't give you much confidence when you're boarding it, but to have that happen, return and have to get back on another one the next day....... i'd be having quite a few bevvies too.
Roger Knife
Posts: 710
Date Joined: 12/01/09
hell mate, if you'd a gone
hell mate, if you'd a gone who would drive me back from the pub? Good luck tomorrow!
Honorary Aussie and "foreign correspondant" for fishwrecked reel time. Make sure you have subscribed to:
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Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
A scaled down BAe146. So
A scaled down BAe146. So still had 3 engines, But not nice with a fire so close, let alone anywhere on a plane. It is bad enough landing as they are only relying on disc brakes. One of the young hostesses and a few of the passengers were a bit distressed. The rest of us just went and changed our jocks once landed.
Cheers Pete
Blank Cheque
Posts: 221
Date Joined: 28/03/09
Pete been doing FIFO for 22 yrs now
we used to fly on a BAE146. The old story was that BAE stood for Bring Another Engine. I hope you read this after you land back in Perth.
Garry
Its a little late to head home early
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
I'm sure the media will get
I'm sure the media will get hold of this too. Peter Harvey and crew are here on the island currently....Half the plane will be staying in a place that we the tax payers are paying for.
alfred
Posts: 3097
Date Joined: 12/01/07
That would scare the crap
That would scare the crap out of me! Glad you are okay, will pray you get back safely.
saltatrix
Posts: 1075
Date Joined: 30/03/08
You know what they say, its
You know what they say, its the journey, not the ....
Angling tourism is worth $10 billion to the Australian economy - 90000 jobs; more than any sport; spread the word
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
haha, did alot of diving
haha, did alot of diving here. Wasn't quite ready for a non scheduled deep dive though.....and with so many untrained buddies.
I did say to a bloke, as we boarded, (who I met here - a skipper he is from Exy - Boxy), to skipper the life raft if we need it...as it was strapped into the seats infront his.
Cheers Pete
Andy Mac
Posts: 4779
Date Joined: 03/02/06
Crikey
Sounds like a scene out of "Flash Forward"
Say hello to Boxxy for me. Top skipper and was kind enough to take me out for a fish a few years back.
Cheers
Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
Youngest member of the Fishwrecked Old Farts Club
kaney68
Posts: 401
Date Joined: 29/07/08
Holy Crap Pete !
Mate... that's a cracker of a story !!
You could always hitch a lift on one of the refo boats passing by........
Pity you didn't get any images... could have paid for your trip !!
cheers - Paul
big john
Posts: 8725
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Small world
Hey Pete, glad you landed shiny side up.
If you see Peter (Boxhead) again, ask him if he remembers big john from Kununurra who took him out barra fishing. Still waiting for the return invite for a sail/marlin on the boat he skippers. At the time it was the 'Indizara', but that was 10+ years ago.
Hope the bird flies true tomorrow!
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15610
Date Joined: 29/11/05
same
Still on the same boat BJ, doesn't go out very often thou. Glad to hear your ok Pete.
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shabba
Posts: 484
Date Joined: 26/02/08
fark. bet ya had 2 clean
fark. bet ya had 2 clean ya undies m8. glad 2 hear yous are all safe on land....
desmond
Posts: 116
Date Joined: 27/12/06
statistics
Statistically, that make's you the best person to be on an aircraft with!!
The pilots must have done a good job getting everyone down safely.
3000ft is not a lot of sky.
Jody
Posts: 1578
Date Joined: 19/04/07
Jeeeez Pete
Close one aye!!
Catch a boat mate, take your time getting back :)
TWiZTED
Paul G
Posts: 5215
Date Joined: 12/12/07
nice story as i ready to go
nice story as i ready to go to Bali ,good all ended well ,have you got the stains out the undies yet.
Active Gyp-Rok solutions ,Residential and commercial ceilings and walls
GusG
Posts: 547
Date Joined: 07/04/08
BLOODY HELL!!!! THat is
BLOODY HELL!!!! THat is scary as.....
Not a good story to read considering I fly out to Singapore then London tomorrow
I am not too worried, I hae spent way more than my fair share on planes and all is good thus far.
alfred
Posts: 3097
Date Joined: 12/01/07
Yup, I have been lucky too,
Yup, I have been lucky too, 80 landings a year for 4 years, 60 for 5 years, 50 for 3 years and 32 for the last 3 years of my corporate life.
Mitch1011
Posts: 75
Date Joined: 16/09/09
send it into a news
like 2 see it on tv aye
BORN TO FISH FORECED TO GO TO SCHOOL:(
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
Should see Pete again today
Should see Pete again today BJ - will remind him. We took him out free diving, so yeah, likewise - marlin in Exy some day!
Yeah, big opportunity missed Paul - I'll have the camera at the ready today.
Have fun in Bali Paul. Undies now clean. Ditto to you too Gus.
Jody - well there is a cruise ship due here at Xmas time, but don't think the family would appreciate me being away that long.
Cheers Pete
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Pete you had me worried when
Pete you had me worried when I saw that thread title, I was worried it was going to be your arm.
A fresh pair of jocks is a quick and easy fix!
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
Arm OK
Did have to ease up on the fishing, as the arm was telling me to.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 17861
Date Joined: 11/03/08
at least you made it and we
at least you made it and we can see all your u/water pics, no doubt there is quite a few to go through , having to ease up on fishing , you should be so lucky to even get a fish in where as you were so nearly fish food
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Yeah rub it in more why
Yeah rub it in more why don't you!
My shoulders are sore after carrying my son around my parents farm all weekend, I haven't seen a fish in months =)
just dhu it
Posts: 1081
Date Joined: 14/05/09
Few Drinks
Better have a few more drinks after that experience, especially knowing you have to have another go the next day, C I for anybody whos been up there isnt the best landing strip in the world and the weather conditions change every minute, also note CI the landing strip is rated the second worst airstrip in the world.
Tony Halliday
Posts: 2500
Date Joined: 14/06/07
told you not too wear that
told you not too wear that Bin Laden mask on the island Peter!!!
Oh well just have a few more drinks and remember only the good die young, you and me got a long time to go!!!
take care
Tony
Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~
It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it
"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)
soupster51
Posts: 2723
Date Joined: 29/11/06
Safe
Glad to hear you're alright. Sounds like you had a hell of a couple of minutes. Enjoy the bourbons, talk to you soon.
The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
Back here
Pics up top.
Cheers Pete
Blank Cheque
Posts: 221
Date Joined: 28/03/09
Ha Ha
you gotta be joking. If you read my earler post its the same company that we used to fly to site with.
Garry
Its a little late to head home early
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
Yeah, had a laugh at that
Yeah, had a laugh at that Garry; and have used it a few times now - Bring Another Engine!
If go there again, think I will get a passport and go via Singa's.
Cheers Pete
Colin Hay
Posts: 10407
Date Joined: 23/10/07
There is nothing scarier than being in a plane when something
goes wrong I reckon. I was flying back from PNG one trip when I noticed all the stewardesses running with panic on their faces to the front of the plane. I then noticed there was smoke coming from the back of the plane just before the pilot made a big u turn and started heading back to Port Moresby.
Luckily it only turned to a small fire from some faulty wiring, but I have to admit I was bit shaky for awhile - especially as some drunks kept singing "We are going down, down, down. We are going down, down down".
Moderator. Proud member of the Fishwrecked "Old Farts". Make sure your subscribed to Fishwrecked Reeltime http://fishwrecked-reeltime.com/
7739ian
Posts: 948
Date Joined: 25/06/08
Done a lot
of flying over the last 40 years including FIFO stints. Flew in the Viscount that crashed out of Hedland a couple of days before the wing fell off, had an engine kark it on a Kingair 5 minutes out of Jandakot and lost 2 aquaintances in seperate light plane crashes in WA - I hate flying but you are pretty well left without a choice in a lot of jobs these days and i am starting to take some comfort in the theory you are in more danger in a car. You are now statistically bulletproof Pete so you can even fly Garuda..
Ryan Thipthorp (not verified)
Posts: 23
Date Joined: 01/01/70
mmhhhh
You pick the best planes by the looks.......LOL
Would of been nerve racking and definatly a few bourbys to settle them!
Good to see ya arive safely and not long now for crays.....we'll catch up soon mate!
kaney68
Posts: 401
Date Joined: 29/07/08
Have you checked Inside Cover Pete ?
Have a look at the Inside Cover section in todays (Saturday) West Aus..
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
Haha, well written and love
Haha, well written and love the cartoon.
Busted turbine blades - scary stuff.
Cheers Pete
kaney68
Posts: 401
Date Joined: 29/07/08
The cartoon..
For those that missed it...
Here's the cartoon from Alston, in Saturday's West Australian.