VH-QPA Airbus A330-303

VH-QPA. Airbus A330-303. c/n 0553.

This aircraft was ordered new by Qantas Airways as an Airbus A330-301

Rolled off Airbus production line at Toulouse, France - 2003

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-QPA - October 31, 2003

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney

First flown as 'F-WWKS' - November 05, 2003

Accepted by Qantas Airways at Toulouse, France - November 26, 2003

The aircraft was named 'Kununurra'

Departed Toulouse on the delivery flight to Australia as QF6008 - November 28, 2003

It arrived at Melbourne (Tullamarine) on completion of the delivery flight as QF7628 - November 29, 2003

Delivery route: Toulouse - Singapore - Melbourne

Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Perth as QF777 - December 12, 2003

Underwent engine modifications to become an Airbus A330-303 - December 2004

Returned to service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Perth - Singapore as QF577/71 - December 11, 2004

Registered to QF A333 Leasing 4 Pty Ltd - August 05, 2005

Leased to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney as the registered operator

This aircraft was involved in a serious mid-flight control emergency - October 07, 2008

It was operating the Singapore - Perth service as QF72

On board were 303 passengers, 9 cabin crew and 3 flight crew

Whilst cruising at 37,000 feet the autopilot disconnected which was followed by a series of cockpit warnings that

various aircraft systems had failed

The aircraft abruptly pitched nose down some 8.4 degrees and descended some 650 feet

Unrestrained passengers and crew were flung about in the cabin sustaining serious injuries

On regaining control the pilot climbed the aircraft back to its cruising altitude of 37,000 feet

Three minutes later the aircraft again pitched down some 3.5 degrees and descended over 400 feet

The pilot declared a 'Mayday' and the aircraft diverted to make an emergency landing at Learmonth, W.A.

110 passengers and 9 crew members suffered injuries some were very serious

To read the full ATSB report on this incident please click 'HERE'

The aircraft had flown 20,040 hours with 3,740 cycles at the time of the incident

This aircraft was used to mark the 80th Anniversary of the airline's first overseas passenger flight in 1935

Operated the commemorative Brisbane - Singapore service as QF51 - April 17, 2015

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney - June 10, 2015

Special decals were applied to the aircraft at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - October 22, 2016

The decal 'Wellcamp - Shanghai' and 'TSBE - Toowoomba & Surat Basin Enterprise, Access China 2016

And Toowoomba Region' was applied to the port side fuselage only

Returned to service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Manila as QF19, October 22, 2016

Operated a special trade charter flight Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Wellcamp - Shanghai as QF129 - October 23, 2016

This was the first international passenger service from Wellcamp

Current with Qantas Airways

F-WWKS. Qantas Spirit of Australia - 'Kununurra' in the standard livery at Toulouse Airport, November 2003.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0330-015.)

VH-QPA. Qantas Spirit of Australia - 'Kununurra' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, March 18, 2010.

(R. Shaw Copyright Image 0330-030.)

VH-QPA. Qantas Spirit of Australia - 'Kununurra' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, April 2010.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0330-018.)