Rex Saab engine catches fire at Adelaide Airport

REX SAAB 340B VH-ZPN (MSN 340B-384)

Passengers on an early morning flight from Adelaide (ADL/YPAD) to Broken Hill (BHQ/YBHI) were evacuated immediately due to an engine fire in the left engine of a Rex aircraft. Adelaide Airport reported that the incident briefly closed the runway around 7am on Wednesday, with normal operations resuming by 8am. 

REX (Regional EXpress) stated that flight ZL4818 encountered a "cockpit indication" related to the Saab 340's engine during take-off, prompting the crew to reject the take-off as per standard procedures. When the engine was shut off, unburnt fuel ignited causing flames to shoot out from the engine. 

Passenger Emma Lovis-Hotchin, traveling with her husband to their home in Broken Hill, described the flight as quite full. She recounted that after the safety briefing, the plane was preparing for takeoff when it came to a sudden, screeching stop.

"I was sitting back in the chair, relaxed ... and all of a sudden, you're coming to a screaming halt, and you understand why," she said. "The smell in the cabin was pungent, and it was getting hot in there."

Ms. Lovis-Hotchin said the situation intensified when other passengers started shouting about a fire. The cabin quickly began to fill with smoke, as well as the "smell of flumes".

"It got awfully hot, very, very quick," she said.
"I heard a gentleman at the back of the plane yell 'fire!' and another man to my left shouted 'fire!' as well. I can't say whether it was the crew or the passengers who raised the alarm, but I'm very grateful to those gentlemen who were so observant."

All passengers and crew disembarked safely on the tarmac and were transported back to the terminal by bus, with passengers rebooked on alternate flights.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: REX (Regional EXpress)

Code: ZL/RXA

Aircraft: Saab 340-B

Registration: VH-ZPN

Serial Number: 340B-384

Engines: 2 x GE CT7-9B

First Flew: 01 February 1996

Age: 29.8 Years

Just as a side note, VH-ZPN was previously registered to Virgin Australia on an Embraer E190AR MSN 312