A tool was found on the left wing of a Qantas Airways Airbus A380, registered VH-OQK, operating the Sydney–Dallas service. In a statement by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, it was said that the part was discovered during inspections carried out after the Dallas–Sydney flight. Initial findings showed that the tool had remained on the wing for two flights.
Maintenance records related to the incident are being reviewed, and it was stated that all details will be shared with the public once the investigation is completed. It is believed that the tool was left behind by a technical team that had recently carried out work on the aircraft.
A Similar Incident Had Happened Before
This is not the first foreign object incident in the Qantas fleet. On February 2, 2024, during inspections at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), another Airbus A380 was found to have a hand tool left behind the fan blades of its number one engine. The investigation revealed that the tool had remained inside the engine for 34 flights and had been deformed due to high-energy airflow.
