My heart was in my throat when I read this. All I can say is Thank God everything is ok.

From Yahoo News

Bon Jovi aboard as Qantas engine fails


A Qantas jet carrying 191 passengers, including rock star Jon Bon Jovi and other VIPs, had to return to Los Angeles airport after an engine failure.

The 747-100 Jumbo, bound for New York, was about a quarter of the way into its ascent when the captain shut down an engine after an apparent turbine failure, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Some passengers reported a loud cracking noise and seeing a sheet of flames coming from the plane's engine.

Among the passengers was Jon Bon Jovi, who headlined the recent Rumba festival in Australia, News Limited chairman Lachlan Murdoch, his wife Sarah O'Hare as well as News Corp director and former Ansett chairman Ken Cowley, the paper said.

Captain Paul Holland was piloting QF107, his last flight to New York before retiring next week after 35 years with Qantas.




"It is ironic it should happen on my last flight, but we train for this," he said.

Fire rescue crews were waiting at the the runway but were not needed. The cause of the engine failure was unknown and was being investigated, Captain Holland said.

The plane had flown from Sydney to Los Angeles without incident.

Captain Holland flew the flight's replacement to New York 3-1/2 hours later.