The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has opened an investigation into a June 25 in-flight engine failure involving an AirAsia X Airbus A330-300 flying from Perth to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, that resulted in the flight turning around and safely returning to Perth.
The incident, which according to media reports occurred about 90 minutes into the flight, has been covered widely in the international media, with passengers saying they heard a loud bang and that the plane then started shaking and shuddering. One passenger told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that the airplane was shaking like a “washing machine.”
According to ATSB, the engine malfunction occurred near Carnarvon, Western Australia, and the aircraft was subject to “moderate airframe vibration.”
It is expected to be several months before a report is released, ATSB said.
