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The engine that failed on a Qantas 737 at Sydney Airport earlier this month, sparking a grass fire, was weeks away from replacement.
VH-VYH (similar aircraft pictured) was taking off for flight QF520 to Brisbane on 8 November when its right-hand engine malfunctioned with a loud bang, sending hot metal fragments into the grass near the runway.
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As reported in The Australian, the CFM56 engine at fault was nearing the end of its life and was scheduled to be swapped out a few weeks after the incident.
In a statement, Qantas chief pilot Dick Tobiano said the airline is investigating what happened, but stressed that its other 737-800 engines are safe.
“Preliminary inspections indicate that it was likely a mechanical failure of the high-pressure turbine. Further details will be released in due course once investigations are completed, but there is no evidence to suggest this is a broader 737 engine issue,” Tobiano said.
“Globally, the CFM56 family has accumulated more than one billion flight hours and the rate of failures is extraordinarily low, and our rates are consistent with world fleet failures for engines of similar age and operating in similar environments.
“The aircraft involved in the incident has returned to service after having the engine replaced.”
Two other 737-800s have since had their engines replaced that were of a similar age and slated to be retired within the next few months, out of what the Flying Kangaroo says is an abundance of caution.
“This action was not because of an identified common fault, but a considered response to provide further buffers against regulated replacement limits,” Tobiano said.
“Together with CFM, Qantas Engineering continues to monitor all engines across our fleet in real-time with regular inspections conducted of the compressor, combustion chamber and turbine sections using video borescope equipment.
“While inflight engine shutdowns are rare, we know that airplane design, certification standards and flight crew experience and training come together to ensure safe outcomes.”
The ATSB says it is investigating the incident, which resulted in no injuries as the plane returned safely to the airport.
“As part of the evidence collection phase of the investigation, ATSB investigators will obtain and examine maintenance records, recorded data such as flight data and radio recordings, and interview the flight crew. The engine and components will be examined at an appropriate facility,” the transport safety watchdog said in a statement this month.
“A final report will be released at the conclusion of the investigation. Should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties, so that appropriate safety action can be taken.”
