Quick thinking Air Canada pilot averts disaster (Merged)

Parts strewn over Ottawa runway after engine blows

OTTAWA – Passengers credited the quick action of the flight crew for averting potential disaster yesterday after an Air Canada jet blew an engine and aborted takeoff.

The Vancouver-bound Airbus A320 was almost at takeoff speed and more than halfway down the runway at 6:55 p.m. when there was a “pop” from the right engine, said Peter Simpson, a passenger seated just behind the left wing.

Simpson said the aircraft, believed to be carrying about 120 passengers, seemed to lose speed and the pilot immediately deployed the flaps and started braking.

“The flaps went straight up and we roared to a stop,” he said. “The pilot came on the intercom and apologized and announced they had lost an engine on takeoff.

“I really admire what the pilot did. He was wonderful. He stopped it almost on a dime.”

Simpson said the plane’s tires were shredded in the emergency stop and firefighters had fans under the aircraft to cool the overheated wheels and brakes.

Air Canada spokeswoman Laura Cooke said the pilot noticed an engine light come on during takeoff.

“As a precaution, he rejected takeoff and as a result the aircraft came to an abrupt stop on the runway which put, obviously, pressure on the brakes and tires,” she said.

The plane was not evacuated.

The flight, No. 139, originated in Halifax and stopped in Ottawa to pick up passengers and change crew before flying on to Vancouver.

Simpson said he saw skid marks about 100 metres long with only about a third of the runway remaining. He said the captain told him later that the runway was spewed with engine parts after something disintegrated in the right engine.

Erica Heaphy, 19, was flying for the first time. She and her parents were on their way to a wedding.

“I was freaking out before happened but when I saw the flames, I was really freaking out,” said Heaphy. “I just saw a bunch of orange.”