Fed: Inspectors yet to learn cause of Qantas cylinder explosion

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2008
Fed: Inspectors yet to learn cause of Qantas cylinder explosion

Air safety investigators have yet to find out why an oxygen cylinder exploded mid-air
on a Qantas international flight last month .. blasting a hole in the fuselage and causing
mayhem on board.

A preliminary report into the incident .. released today .. says it's extraordinary
that nobody on the Hong Kong-Melbourne flight was killed or injured by the cylinder when
it burst into the cabin.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau report has blamed the gas bottle for the 1.74-square-metre
rupture in the Boeing 747-400 .. which led to an emergency landing in Manila.

All 346 passengers and 19 crew aboard the plane escaped injury.





The ATSB has found the cylinder .. one of seven in the cargo hold .. blew a hole near
the wing and broke through the floor of the cabin near the foot of an exit door.

It says the cylinder hit the door .. knocked its handle almost to an open position
.. and hit overhead panelling before falling out of the aircraft through the ruptured
fuselage.

The bureau has issued safety advisories to airlines to undertake inspections .. testing
.. maintenance and any required repairs of oxygen bottles.

The team plans to look into the design and manufacture of the cylinders .. any recorded
failures and the adequacy of inspections and maintenance.

Qantas chief executive GEOFF DIXON says the airline's own investigations agree with
the ATSB's preliminary conclusions.

AAP RTV pw/mfh/tm/ibw

KEYWORD: QANTAS (CANBERRA)

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