KEY POINTS:
Passengers on board an Air New Zealand Link flight to Christchurch thought their time was up when smoke filled the cabin shortly after take-off from Wellington yesterday.
Flight NZ5015 was forced to turn back and make an emergency landing seconds after take-off, when a large bang was heard near the right engine.
Immediately after, smoke began streaming out of the air conditioning units.
"The engine on the right-hand side stopped. A lady there said she saw something hit it. Everyone panicked," passenger Matt Richens told the Dominion Post.
"All conversations stopped. There was a general sense of panic."
The Waikato Times reporter said the plane continued on for a couple of minutes before the steward announced it would be returning to Wellington.
Another passenger, Helen Grindey, told her father Rodney she thought her "number was up" before the 6pm flight made a safe landing.
Among the 65 passengers and four crew on the flight were seven members of the Northern Districts women's cricket team and their management.
Player Ane Swart, 19, said the delay in telling passengers what had happened made her think the worst.
People were crying and "freaking out", she said.
"They did tell us that everything would be okay ... but for ages they didn't tell us (what was happening)."
Wellington airport spokeswoman Louise Murray said the pilot alerted the airport of a mid-air incident, calling for a full emergency. However, the plane landed safely on one engine.
Air New Zealand spokeswoman Tracy Mills said the pilots spotted an indicator light and shut down an engine. The reason for the shutdown was not known last night.
The plane, an ATR 72-500 being operated by Air New Zealand subsidiary Mt Cook Airlines, will be inspected by engineers.
- NZPA
