Propeller drops off REX plane mid-flight

A Regional Express aircraft has been force to make an emergency landing at Sydney airport.

The Saab 340 aircraft, carrying 16 passengers and three crew on a Regional Express plane flying from Albury after one of its propellers sheared off in mid-flight. Picture: Grahame Hutchison

Passengers and crew aboard a Regional Express flight in NSW narrowly avoided death and disaster yesterday after a propeller was sheared off the plane mid-flight, forcing an emergency landing.

The REX airline plane SAAB 340, carrying 16 passengers and three crew members, was travelling from Sydney to Albury in the state’s south when its right hand propeller broke loose from the engine.

The pilots declared a PAN, which is one step down from a full-scale mayday, about 16km from Sydney airport at an altitude of about 6000ft.

The plane, minus a propeller at Sydney Airport after the emergency landing. Source: Twitter

“The prop has just fallen off the aircraft and standby for further instructions,” a man on the flight deck told air traffic controllers.

“REX 768 we’ve just had ... engine operations and our propeller has just shed off. We’ve got normal controls, still be able to fly, would require 1-6 right and we should be able to conduct a precautionary landing.”

The plane landed safely at its destination just after midday and no one was injured.

Byron Bailey, a former air force pilot who currently captains private jets, said it was very lucky the propeller didn’t swing inward and smash through the body of the plane.

“In the 50s, when they had all these propeller-driven airlines, there were cases of propellers flying off and chomping into the fuselage and killing people,” Mr Bailey said.

“They’re very lucky, because if a propeller came loose under power, it could be spinning at a couple of thousand revs a minute. Goodness knows what could have happened.”

The propeller has not yet been found and will be a crucial piece of evidence.

The aircraft was carrying 16 passengers and three crew. Picture: Grahame Hutchison

The Australian Transport Safety Authority and Civil Aviation Safety Authority are investigating the cause of the propellers detachment, with lines of inquiry including whether it was due to fatigue failure or inadequate maintenance.

Jason Middleton, an aviation professor at the University of NSW, also speculated if bad weather could have been a contributing factor.

“If it happened in adverse weather, that might have play a role,” said Professor Middleton. “A propeller falling off is very unusual. Unheard of in Australia, particularly in today’s world where maintenance is thorough and the requirements are well documented.”

Mr Bailey said it’s fortunate the propeller did not injure people on the ground given the flight path.

“It’s a very dangerous article. A big propeller heading earthward, particularly over populous areas, is very dangerous indeed.”

The aircraft’s manufacturer, Swedish company SAAB, has been contacted for comment.

The SAAB 340 model is popular worldwide, with Mr Bailey describing it as “perfect for low density, short routes”.

“SAAB would be very worried,” Mr Bailey said. “The 340 is well-designed and should be totally safe — it’s staggering. A propeller falling off its aircraft is a very serious matter indeed.”