A V Australia Boeing 777-300ER, VH-VOZ, performed a rejected takeoff from Los Angeles on the evening of April 13 local time after the pilots reported difficulty with the aircraft’s left engine.
A loud bang and flames coming from the affected engine were reported by passengers on-board flight VA02, which had begun its takeoff roll on LAX’s runway 25R. None of the 305 passengers onboard were injured. Engineers have been examining the aircraft to establish the cause of the problem.
“A detailed inspection of one of the engines is ongoing, however no major damage has been found to date. Timing for the aircraft’s return to service will be determined once all required inspections are completed,” a V Australia statement released on Friday afternoon read.
V Australia provided overnight hotel accommodation for international passengers, and re-imbursed local passengers for the cost of transport home, with alternative travel arrangements made for the passengers to reach Sydney.
The airline has also chartered a Air New Zealand Boeing 747-400 in order to maintain scheduled flights while investigations into VA02 continue.
