Engine trouble forces aircraft’s emergency landing

An aircraft suffered engine trouble in mid-air early last night shortly after taking off from the Saipan International Airport, prompting it to return to the tarmac for emergency landing. The Ports Police said no one was injured in the incident.

This happened as Saipan, Tinian and Rota remained under volcanic haze from Anatahan until last night. As of press time, the Emergency Management Office has yet to lift the volcanic haze advisory for the three islands.

The aircraft reportedly left the Saipan airport at approximately 6pm. Minutes later, at about 6:15pm, Ports Police on-duty airport supervisor Sgt. Greg Arriola said his office received a call that the aircraft was coming back due to “problems with its left engine.”

“The aircraft landed safely. Everybody was safe,” Arriola said. He refused to elaborate and name the aircraft, saying, “we’re still checking [on] the matter.”

Arriola did not disclose the number of passengers aboard the distressed aircraft and where the plane was supposedly bound. The haze over Saipan has resulted in flight interruptions since Monday, temporarily stranding hundreds of passengers.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, volcanic ash threatens jets and aircraft in the air, as it forms deposit in engines, restricts airflow, and clogs fuel nozzles. Minute particles of volcanic ash also contaminate aircraft’s ventilation, lubrication, hydraulic and electronic systems. They cause erosion and pitting of leading edges of windshields and landing lights, as well as erosion of compressor blades.

The EMO and the USGS reported yesterday that volcanic haze was observed not only in the Northern Marianas’ three major islands, but also on Guam.

At 3:30am yesterday, sulfur odor from the volcanic gases continued to be observed at the Andersen Air Force Base on Guam, the EMO and the USGS said. The haze reduced visibility to about six miles.

The EMO and the USGS said the haze reduced visibility from three to seven miles on Saipan, Tinian, Rota and Guam. The EMO cautioned mariners, sea tour operators, fishermen and beach goers about poor visibility and reiterated the Department of Public Health’s advisory to stay indoors, especially to those who have respiratory problems.

“Winds are expected to shift to the northeast by Wednesday afternoon, after which conditions should improve,” the EMO and the USGS said in a joint report.

Those agencies presumed ash plume at an altitude of 15,000 feet moving southeasterly yesterday, as extensive cloud cover obscured satellite monitoring by the Air Force Weather Agency. They stressed that aircraft should pass upwind of the island or beyond 10 nautical miles downwind, pointing out that conditions could change rapidly, and volcanic activity could just suddenly escalate.

Anatahan’s volcano remains in constant eruption, with yesterday’s tremor levels continuing to fluctuate and range from 50- to 70 percent of the peak levels observed from June 17 to 26.

The agencies reported that an earthquake was recorded at 7:33am yesterday. Based on their initial report, the earthquake was regional and appeared to have originated south of Saipan at a slant distance of between 150- and 200-kms. The EMO could not elaborate on details of the earthquake as of press time.