Flight delayed after engine 'mist' seen

Air New Zealand Flight NZ612 was delayed at Queenstown Airport and sparked an emergency service...
Air New Zealand Flight NZ612 was delayed at Queenstown Airport and sparked an emergency service callout after an engineering issue was noticed while preparing for departure. PHOTO: QUEENSTOWN AIRPORT
Firefighters were called to Queenstown Airport yesterday because of a possible aeroplane engine fire.
 
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) spokeswoman said crews from Queenstown, Frankton and Arrowtown were summoned at 10.50am after "mist" was seen coming from an engine.
 
When crews arrived, they discovered there was no fire and it was believed the alarm could have been caused by a faulty switch. 
 
Fire crews had packed up and left by 11.07am, the Fenz spokeswoman said. 
 
Air New Zealand chief operational integrity and safety officer Captain David Morgan said flight NZ612, scheduled to depart Queenstown Airport at 10.35am yesterday, returned to the gate for an engineering inspection.
 
"Upon pushback from the gate and as the aircraft was turned on, an alert was raised about mist coming from an engine," he said.
 
Capt Morgan said there was no fire or flames coming from the aircraft, and the condensation mist seen was not an uncommon sight when an aeroplane's engines were started.
 
The aircraft returned to the gate to undergo an engineering inspection while passengers remained on board. 
The flight departed Queenstown at 12.42pm, more than two hours late.
 
"We'd like to thank customers for their patience and reassure them that safety is our highest priority," Capt Morgan said. 
 
 

 

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