Jinan (Iqilu.com) -- A mechanical failure occurred when a Boeing 737-300, a second-generation Boeing aircraft, was just about to spurt on the runway and take off in a flight from Jinan to Wuhan, at around 8 a.m. Thursday.
All passengers were transferred to the terminal building. Shandong Airlines, owner of the broken-down plane, claimed that a substitute plane had already been deployed to make up for the delay.
Verified Weibo user "Yu Renke," who was on the plane, sent two messages and a photo online at 8:43 a.m. and 8:48 a.m. describing the incident. "The plane broke down after it was prepared for taking off." "It's lucky of us that the crew noticed the oil leak spreading on the ground."
He later told Iqilu.com that "The plane vibrated suddenly when it enters the waiting zone, followed by an explaining broadcast for the machanical problem. We were sent back to the terminal in a shuttle."
Shandong Airlines: Backup allocated
An employee at the airline company confirmed with Iqilu.com the technical failure.
"A valve at the plane's left wing went wrong. The repair is expected for about two hours."
Responding to the "oil leak," he said :"oil leak during machine parts renew and dissembling is normal and nothing to worry about. So far, Shandong Airlines has arranged meals during the delay. A Boeing 737-800, a third-generation Boeing aircraft, will be in place for the flight."
Shandong Airlines later apologized for the failure and delay.
