By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
PASSENGERS onboard a Bahamasair flight to Nassau thought they were going to die after they saw a portion of the plane’s propeller break off and bounce from the wing.
One passenger told The Big T: “Never in my life have I seen grown men crying. My wife and I said goodbye to each other. Everyone thought they were going to die.”
Now travellers are angry with the national flag carrier for ‘seeming to downplay’ what they claim was an ‘horrific’ incident yesterday morning.
According to passengers onboard the flight from Georgetown, Exuma, to Nassau, people were weeping as their aircraft started experiencing difficulties.
While officials at Bahamasair told The Big T that the incident was in no way life-threatening, passengers said panic broke out when they saw a portion of the right propeller break off and bounce from the wing.
The right engine was later shut off by the pilot, causing a ‘dramatic’ turn on that side of the plane, but the aircraft was later stabilised, officials said. The plane eventually landed in New Providence safely.
A passenger who wanted to remain anonymous said he had been left traumatised by the flight: “Never in my life have I seen grown men crying. My wife and I said goodbye to each other. Everyone thought they were going to die.
“It all got horrifying when persons on the plane saw part of the right propeller break off. The plane dipped on the same side and I thought for sure we were falling from the sky. I am sure the engine failed, too. The flight attendant and pilot were very good with trying to keep everyone calm.
“But when we did land, there was no one from Bahamasair to speak with us or even an ambulance to assist persons who might have needed medical assistance. Now, I understand that to them this wasn’t a big deal. Well, my wife is still shaken up and tell that to the big men who were on that flight thinking they would not make it out alive,” he said.
John Fowler, the airline’s customer service chief, said there was no medic on site because officials did not classify the incident as serious.
He said the aircraft was designed to fly with one engine functioning, so nothing out of the ordinary took place. Mr Fowler said Bahamasair did what it could to comfort the passengers, offering them vouchers to use at their discretion.
“All that happened was the pilot picked up a reading of low pressure and then turned the engine off on the flight that was travelling from Georgetown to Rock Sound and then Nassau.
“Once it stabilised everything was fine. There was no ambulance on site because it just wasn’t that kind of operation. The reasoning was that it was a single engine landing and not an emergency control landing,” Mr Fowler said.
“But when the passengers came inside, we made arrangements for them to have vouchers for free tickets and spoke with them to calm their fears.”
Comments
steplight 11 years, 6 months ago
A similiar thing happened before in the mid 1970's. A Bahamian little girl told her eldest sister that the aircraft was unsafe and was laughed at. She pleaded with the sister to take her so that everyone would be safe and the laughter grew to a point where the seriousness of the warning made the child say that she wished the plane would crash so they would see what she said. Her mother beat her and said she had better cancel it. Turns out the kid said okay, cancel the crash, I wish something happen sothey can see that what I said was true. Turns out the mother gets a phone call to say that the very aircraft the child warned the adults about had a mysterious occurence. The fuel evaporated, the landing gear did not come out and the aircraft had to land on its belly. Had the fuel not mysterious evaporate then everyone on board would have been killed. The kid was labeled a witch and those adults who were with her sister hated her instead of taking note their lives were spared even though they did not listen to the kid.
John 11 years, 6 months ago
I always wondered how safe it was sitting next to those props on a plane. good thing it didn't slice thru the fuslage and injure somone. But once the pilot shuts off one engine he would have to 'lean' the plane to avoid it going into a spin. is uccess roves he was experienced. I remember one time I was o a flight to Miami,(not on Bahamasair), and the plane hti turbulance and started to drop for what felt like 1000 feet, then just when it levelled off and everyone tarted to calm down it started to drop again. By the time it levelled off this time all the grown folk was hollering and sceaming and crying and, yes, PRAYING, but then one little girl shouts out, "mummy lets do it again", and her innocence calmed the entire plane load of frigntened passengers.
carlh57 11 years, 6 months ago
Yep, nothing is "Serious" with Government, until someone dies....or a government official loses money. Then things get rolling....
bismark 11 years, 6 months ago
This needs to be investigated,this is no game,the idiot who tried to downplay it should also be removed,the Pilot should be credited for handling the situation,however he has to make the reports as to what happened available to the investigators,this is people lives we are talking about;and Bahamasair shouldn't have some idiot telling the passengers it was nothing to worry about and ask them if they want free tickets?That plane needs to be grounded immediately and the maintenance records exposed.
crabman 11 years, 6 months ago
my best bahamasair story-coming home on the last flight from miami (25% chance the plane ever left, usually the staff would just disappear and you were left alone) about half of the cabin ceiling fell down during some turbulence. when we landed some fellas came on board and hauled it out so we could leave, not one word from the stewardess or the pilots.
willy 11 years, 6 months ago
You people are so paranoid! DasH-8s can fly on one propeller with no problems! Even a novice pilot can do it, just compensate with rudder and power on the working engine! the plane DID land safely right! Yall watch too much movies!
USAhelp 11 years, 6 months ago
Fly jet blue
John 11 years, 6 months ago
All airlines have their problems..one time I was on American Eagle..the plane wouldnt start so they used one of the baggage trucks to 'jumpstart' it. But as we taxied to the runway the engine shut off again and we had to go back to the terminal. Then about an hour later they had us re-board but the engine started to smoke and shut off again. While they were trying to jumpstart the engine one passenger got really paranoid and demanded they let him off the plane. He got into a shouting match with the stewardess who refused to let him off. By this time other passengers were out of their seats demaning they be let off the plane. Finally the door was opened and we were let off. Then the stewardess makes a comment like ' yall are lucky, I still have to fly back on this plane to Miami."
akbar 11 years, 6 months ago
Bahamasair's entire fleet is now in question! Thank God no lives were lost and no serious injuries. I know the psychological effect for some passengers was devastating. This should be considered serious don't understand how some people can be so nonchalant with their comments. All this talk about "oh the pressure this and stabilising that" those passengers aren't pilots or in the aircraft industry. If you in the air and you look out and see a piece of propeller fall off no amount of airplane jargon that you know would comfort you at that time. This is just a warning Bahamasair needs to take this dead serious and do an audit inspection of their entire fleet immediately! This aint no joke.
TheObjectiveVoice 11 years, 6 months ago
One thing I know, those Bahamasair pilots will get you where you need to go - in one piece. People stop blaming "low pressure" in the atmosphere on the government too. lololol I mean come onnn....lolol
tireofthemiserablelife 11 years, 6 months ago
what does the government has to do this one of the engine failing....and it was the airline customer service cheif that said down play it not the government.....thank god every body is safe.....
Eddieh 11 years, 6 months ago
Please excuse Mr. John Fowler for making such ridiculous statement and offering what seems to be an inducement rather than employing better judgement by offering psychological counseling through a professional. After all, Mr. Fowler who is the brother-in-law of Prime Minister Christie is a Hotel Accountant and not an Airline Professional.
This incident is a clear warning to the powers to be to take this very serious and without any delay, have all those planes inspected for airworthiness. In the name of Jesus, please act swiftly.
TheObjectiveVoice 11 years, 6 months ago
So if John Fowler is a hotel accountant, then the Tribune needs to do further investigation regarding that. Makes no sense.... How did he get that position and how could a hotel accountant be speaking on behalf of the NATIONAL flag carrier about the logistics of aviation? Did the Tribune get the wrong number or is this just false information? Nobody cares if he is the brother-in-law of the PM. What matters is, is he qualified to hold such a vital position in Bahamasair?
FlyBoy 11 years, 6 months ago
Lets get one thing straight! Losing a piece of a propeller blade IS a BIG DEAL. This could easily have been much, much worse! It is very possible for an aircraft engine to depart from the aircraft when it loses a prop blade. When a prop loses a blade the engine vibrates violently. There have been instances where the engine shakes itself from its mounts. Back in the 80's an EMB 120 aircraft had a prop separate from the engine. The engine shook so violently that it tore loose for its mounts. It did not depart from the aircraft but it just hung off the wing. this caused so much drag that the aircraft was unable to make it to an airport. They crashed in a field. Bahamasair was lucky they only lost a piece of a blade! Also, you have the possibility of the piece of prop that departs entering the passenger cabin. Not a good thing! Just ask the family of the tourist who was killed in Treasure Cay when a prop blade departed the engine and entered the passenger cabin. This is a serious problem.
I would like the Tribune to do a follow up story on this!! Was this one of the original Dash-8 aircraft bought new? Or, was this one of the used ones they purchased a few years ago?
These aircraft are all about 22-23 yrs old. I hope Bahamasair is inspecting ALL the other Dash-8s in the fleet!
To the good people at the Tribune, Please stay on top of this story to ensure that the proper inspections are done. Our lives & the lives of our family members are at stake!
Justanopinion 11 years, 6 months ago
It was not a piece of the prop as this would have done significant damage and not just bounce off the wing, it would have gone directly into the fuselage, it was a loss of oil pressure and they shut off the engine. Standard in this type of situation.
positiveinput 11 years, 6 months ago
So with that being said, what is it that the passengers assumed hit the wing. Just asking, I wasn't onboard.
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