Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong forced to turn back to Paris after mechanical problem
- Flaps on plane’s wings fail to retract, according to media reports, prompting aircraft to return to Paris less than hour into flight
Cathay Pacific flight 260 departed Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport at around 1pm but turned back “in accordance with standard procedures due to a suspected issue after take-off”, a spokesman for the airline told the Post.
The company did not specify what forced the plane to return to the French capital, but according to media reports, the pilots discovered the flaps on the wings of the Boeing 777-300ER were not retracting after take-off.
The aircraft also had to release some of its fuel before it returned to land.
Hong Kong’s flag carrier apologised for the inconvenience caused and said no passengers were injured.
It said another flight was arranged for them and it was scheduled to depart at 12.05pm on Thursday, adding they were provided with accommodation.
“The safety of our customers and crew guides every decision we make,” the company said. “We sincerely apologise to our affected customers for the inconvenience caused and appreciate their understanding.”
Warren Chim Wing-nin, deputy chairman of the aircraft division at the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, said that flaps on a plane’s wings increased their surface area and thus added lift for the aircraft, helping it ascend during take-off.
During take-off, the flaps were usually fully extended. However, if the flaps could not be retracted while the plane was in the air, they would cause resistance and “prevent the plane from being able to travel fast”, Chim explained.
Flying at optimum cruise speed was essential for a long-haul flight, hence faults to the flaps would necessitate a return to Paris for troubleshooting, to find out why the mechanical problem had occurred, he added.
While the exact cause would require detailed inspection, some possible factors could include errors involving the plane’s signalling system or hydraulic valves, he said.
