Posted on: Friday, August 3, 2001

Jet returns to Hawai'i after engine blows

By Walter Wright
Advertiser Staff Writer

A SunTrips charter DC-10 bound for San Francisco turned back to Honolulu International Airport yesterday afternoon after the pilot reported one of three engines had gone out, officials said.

The landing was uneventful.

Representatives of SunTrips could not be reached.

Passenger Thomas Scott of Berkeley, Calif., said SunTrips was putting passengers up for the night at the Waikiki Marriott and Ala Moana hotels.

"There were more than 300 passengers, and everybody on the airplane was concerned," Scott said. "The woman behind me was crying."

Scott said there was a loud bang as the aircraft was ascending, about five minutes after it took off around 2:30 p.m. Most of the passengers were enjoying the extra day, he said.

"They're all very content. We have another night in Hawai'i and we're kind of happy about that."