Qantas passengers to sue Airbus

In Australia’s biggest aviation compensation claim ever, an American law firm has started steps to sue Airbus for the 2008 emergency landing of a Qantas flight in Learmonth, Western Australia.

After two sudden drops in altitude mid-flight between Singapore and Perth, the Airbus A330 was forced to land, the injured passengers and crew sent to hospital for treatment.

Representing 70 people, including the pilots from the flight, Wisner Law Firm head Floyd Wisner was optimistic about the results, the ABC reported.

"The claims (are) against the aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, and the manufacturer of a component called the air data inertial reference unit, which is Northrop Grumman, a US corporation,” Mr Wisner said.

"The Australian Transportation Safety Board (ATSB) has concluded there was a mechanical defect in this aircraft.

"It certainly was not the result of pilot error, so I think we will be successful."

106 passengers and nine crew were injured on QF72 after the plane plummeted 200 metres in 20 seconds and then a few minutes later dropping 120 meters in 16 seconds.

53 people were hospitalised, 14 of whom were airlifted to Perth for treatment.

According to the news service, a fault with one of the plane's computer programs was the cause.