Garuda forced to return to base

Garuda forced to return to base

DENPASAR, Bali: Fifty minutes after take off, Garuda flight
number GA-403 bound for Jakarta was forced to return to Ngurah
Rai Airport due to engine trouble on Monday.

Suandi, acting station manager for Garuda Indonesia at Ngurah
Rai Airport, confirmed the incident, saying: "The DC-10 plane had
to return to base due to a leak in pneumatic system 1."

The leak forced the pilot to turn off two of the air
conditioners in the cabin, he said. "As a result, the cabin
pressure dropped. Due to this the plane failed to reach an ideal
altitude," he said.

The plane, piloted by A. Marzani, was supposed to fly at a
height of 35,000 feet, but the plane reach only 14,000 feet,
Suandi added. "Flying at low altitude uses more fuel."

"For the sake of passengers' safety, the aircraft had to
return to base," Suandi said. The plane was carrying 183
passengers.

Forty-four of the passengers were then transferred to another
plane which proceeded to Jakarta at 10:20, while the others were
willing to spend two hours waiting for the plane to be repaired.

A disgruntled passenger said that none of Garuda personnel
apologized for the delay. (zen/sur)