RAAF jet makes emergency landing

[Ryan N]

RAAF jet makes emergency landing
September 26, 2008 06:04pm
Article from: AAP

AN RAAF F/A-18 Hornet has made an emergency landing at the RAAF base at Willamtown, near Newcastle.

The F/A-18 Hornet declared a mayday at around 12.15pm (AEST) today and immediately returned to the RAAF base at Williamtown where it performed an emergency landing, the Department of Defence said.

There were no reported injuries, and a maintenance investigation into the cause of the emergency is underway.

The incident comes on the same day as the air force's fleet of C-130 Hercules transport aircraft were given the all clear to return to normal flying activities.

The RAAF grounded the Hercules fleet from all but essential flights after one aircraft encountered a fault with its nose landing gear during a training flight on September 15.

Group Captain Gary Martin said the investigation concluded it had been an isolated incident.

"An airforce investigation, conducted in consultation with the DSTO and the aircraft manufacturer Lockheed Martin, has concluded that the nose landing gear failure was an isolated incident caused by a manufacturing defect that posed low risk to other aircraft in the fleet," he said.

"The C-130 Hercules fleet is being returned to normal flying operations."

The RAAF operates 24 Hercules aircraft from their Richmond base.