Clipboard left in Jetstar engine forced plane’s return

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Updated: 6:55am – A Jetstar flight to Sydney had to return to Auckland in October because a clipboard was sucked into the engine of the Airbus A320, Australia’s aviation watchdog says.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau report said a worker left a clipboard inside the right-hand side engine cowling because it was raining.

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Later, on the evening of 27 October last year, as the plane was taxiing the worker realised his clipboard was missing. A ground crew went back to inspect the area and found paper debris.

Shortly after the plane levelled out at 15,000 feet, the flight crew was called by Auckland air traffic control to tell them debris could be in the engine.

The report said a company engineer told the captain a piece of sheared metal had been found on the ground, and the captain decided to return to Auckland.

There was minor damage to one of the engines, caused by the clipboard being sucked in when the plane started, the report said.

An internal Jetstar investigation found there was no requirement to check engine cowlings for foreign objects. However, its manual for staff said anyone operating near an aircraft must be constantly observant and report anything abnormal.

There was also no guidance on how paperwork was managed by ground crew in bad weather.

Jetstar and Aerocare, which manages ground crews in New Zealand, released a notice saying engines must not be used for the placement of any foreign objects.

The airline also updated its aircraft departure procedures.

-RNZ

Featured image: Foreign object debris on the ground behind the aircraft (circled). Photo: Supplied / Aerocare

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