Inquiries into 727 engine problem

An investigation will be carried out by freight company TNT Airways after one of its planes had to shut down an engine on a flight…

An investigation will be carried out by freight company TNT Airways after one of its planes had to shut down an engine on a flight from Dublin to Liverpool. An external investigation will also take place.

Emergency services at Liverpool airport were put on full alert on Sunday night after an engine on the Boeing-727 plane, owned by TNT, started smoking as it began its descent at Liverpool airport just before 10 p.m.

The plane, carrying five crew members, was scheduled to stop at Liverpool, before continuing on to Liege in Belgium.

Smoke starting coming from its number two engine and, in line with emergency procedure, pilots shut the engine down, said Mr Paul Cooke, hub manager with TNT at Dublin Airport.

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The aircraft, operating on two engines, landed safely. No one was injured.

Neither Liverpool airport nor TNT could confirm yesterday if there had been a fire on board.

Mr Robin Tudor, business services manager, at Liverpool airport, said once the airport was notified about the situation, its fire services, and support from local authorities, were placed on standby at the runway.

He said the plane has three engines and could fly without the use of one engine.

This type of incident "would not be unknown, but would not be something that happens too often", said Mr Tudor.