LA to Auckland plane forced to turn back

File photo

A Qantas plane carrying 288 passengers from Los Angeles to Auckland was forced to turn back after a mid-air engine problem.

It was reported that one passenger saw sparks coming out of an engine.

The Boeing 747-400 took off from Los Angeles International Airport at 9.55pm LA time on Tuesday (4.55pm Wednesday NZT), and soon after takeoff there were "vibration issues" with one of the aircraft's four engines.

The pilot shut down the engine as a precaution and the aircraft landed back in Los Angeles at 11.05pm. The flight number was QF 26.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the passenger who saw sparks came out of the front engine said they "would have lit up the night sky near LA".

A Qantas spokesman said witnesses may have seen sparks from an engine but there was no fire and no safety issue at any time.

The airline's executive general manager of engineering David Cox said it was not an emergency landing. "The aircraft conducted what we call an 'air return'," he said.

"The pilot shut down the engine as a precaution and the aircraft landed without incident. No emergency was declared and there was no safety issue at any time."

Passengers were accommodated in Los Angeles and were re-booked on Qantas and Air New Zealand flights to Auckland.

- NZPA