Investigators are probing a serious incident involving hydraulic problems on an Airbus A330-200 which returned to Hong Kong after departing to Bali.
The Hong Kong Airlines aircraft (B-LHA) had been conducting the service on 29 September.
French investigation authority BEA, citing its counterpart in Hong Kong, says the crew received automated alerts regarding low pressure in both the green and blue hydraulic circuits.
The A330 has three independent hydraulic systems – green, blue and yellow – which typically operate at a pressure of 3,000psi.
In addition to the flight-control surfaces, the green and blue circuits link to such systems as nose-wheel steering, braking and certain spoilers.
BEA says the crew declared an emergency and opted to return to Hong Kong, landing on runway 25L and becoming disabled for around 1h 45min after a tyre burst. It was subsequently towed to a parking stand.
None of the occupants was injured.
Cirium fleets data lists the twinjet as a 2001 airframe, originally delivered to Emirates, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines. Hong Kong Airlines leased the aircraft last year.
Hong Kong's air accident investigation authority, curiously, had completed a probe involving the same aircraft, just over a month before the incident, after a cabin crew member suffered injuries during a turbulence encounter while en route from Beijing in June.
