Incident Overview
On October 25, 2004, at 22:24 UTC, a Boeing B747-236B with registration G-BDXE departed from the Saint-Denis Gillot aerodrome in Réunion. The aircraft was operated by European Air Charter under a charter agreement with Air Austral. It carried five flight crew members, eleven cabin crew members, and 324 passengers, including one flight crew member and eleven cabin crew members from the charterer.
Engine Failure and Immediate Response
Approximately 300 feet above the ground, engine number four experienced a surge characterized by loud noises, a sudden loss of thrust, and a sharp increase in exhaust gas temperature. Passengers and cabin crew observed flames on the right side of the aircraft, which quickly disappeared. The flight crew applied the emergency procedure for fire, serious damage, or engine separation, resulting in the shutdown of engine number four.
Flight Management and Passenger Communication
The captain announced to passengers that the issue was likely bird ingestion and that the situation was under control. Options such as diverting to Johannesburg, returning to the origin, or continuing to Paris were considered. Due to communication difficulties with Air Austral operations, the crew decided to continue toward Europe. The cabin crew, mostly English-speaking, struggled to reassure anxious passengers until a French-speaking hostess and Air Austral personnel assisted.
Extended Flight Profile
The aircraft initially climbed only to flight level 230 due to three-engine performance limitations, eventually reaching flight level 300 as fuel was consumed. A detour of approximately 150 nautical miles was required because the Tripoli Flight Information Region was closed. The final fuel check over Italy indicated 15.9 tonnes remaining. The aircraft landed at Paris Charles de Gaulle at 09:59 UTC on October 26, after a flight time of 11 hours and 34 minutes, which was 44 minutes longer than planned. Upon parking, the fuel quantity was recorded at 3.2 tonnes.