Sydney Airport: Flights delayed as Qantas 737 plane suffers engine failure on take-off and sparks grass fire

Emergency services are at the scene of a dramatic fire at Sydney Airport sparked by engine failure on a plane taking off.

The blaze was ignited after a Qantas 737 plane bound for Brisbane took off from the airport, with passengers reportedly hearing a loud bang.

The pilot told passengers there was a problem with the right-hand engine.

The plane circled back and landed at the airport, but the grass fire had taken hold near the runway.

NSW firefighters are attempting to extinguish the blaze.

Fire and Rescue NSW said it was “assisting Aviation Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) to extinguish a grass fire that has ignited next to the third runway”.

It’s understood the fire is contained but not extinguished.

A Sydney Airport media team confirmed the Brisbane-bound flight had made an “emergency return”, landing just after 1pm.

“(The) departure of the aircraft coincided with a grass fire along the eastern side of the airport’s parallel runway, which was brought under control by teams from the Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service,” the spokesperson said.

“It’s not clear at this stage if the two incidents are linked and investigations are continuing.”

The statement said airport authorities were conducting a “full investigation” of its parallel runway.

“Sydney Airport’s main runway is operational, however, passengers should also expect some delays and we thank everyone for their patience,” the spokesperson said.

“Passengers who are travelling today are also encouraged to check with their airline regarding the status of their flight, or via the online flight information boards on Sydney Airport’s website.”

Australia’s national transport safety investigator has begun looking into the incident.

“At the ATSB’s request the operator has quarantined the aircraft’s cockpit voice and flight data recorders. Once downloaded, information from those recorders will be analysed at the ATSB’s technical facilities in Canberra,” ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said.

“Other likely investigation activities will include interviewing the flight crew, reviewing operator procedures, analysing weather information, examining any relevant engine components, and potentially attending any tear-down inspection of the engine.

“Our investigators will now work methodically to progressively establish the incident’s sequence of events and contextual information, with a view to determining contributing factors and any underlying safety issues, which will be detailed in the investigation’s final report.”

More to come.