Boeing 777 under fire after midair explosion ripped engine into pieces
Airlines in the United States and Japan have grounded dozens of Boeing 777 aircraft after one of the jets suffered engine failure Saturday; sending debris crashing down over Denver.
the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have also launched investigations into Flight UA328; a Boeing 777; that was heading from Denver to Honolulu. The flight returned safely to Denver and was met by emergency crews.
“Based on the initial information; we concluded that the inspection interval should be stepped up for the hollow fan blades that are unique to this model of an engine; used solely on Boeing 777 airplanes,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a statement on Sunday; adding the agency issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive.
“This will likely mean; that some airplanes will be removed from service,” Dickson said in a statement; posted to Twitter.
The move comes in response to United Airlines flight 328; which experienced an engine failure after taking off from Denver International Airport on Saturday. The airplane landed safely after dropping debris over northern Colorado, officials said.
The Boeing 777 was heading from Denver to Honolulu with 231 passengers and 10 crew aboard; when its right engine failed and erupted in flames. The plane quickly lost altitude and dropped huge pieces of the engine casing and chunks of fiberglass onto the neighborhoods below. Authorities said; no injuries were reported aboard the plane or on the ground; where debris fell.
Boeing said in a statement that it is “actively monitoring recent events related to United Airlines Flight 328” and; that while an investigation into the incident by the National Transportation Safety Board is underway; it recommends “suspending operations of the 69 in-service and 59 in-storage 777s powered by Pratt & Whitney 4000-112 engines until the FAA identifies the appropriate inspection protocol.”
United Airlines said Sunday that it would immediately pull 24 planes from flying “out of an abundance of caution.” The company said its move was voluntary and temporary and should disrupt only “a small number of customers.”
Also, Japan’s transportation ministry said; it had ordered All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines to ground planes using 4000-112 engines. The order is applied to 19 Boeing 777s at All Nippon Airways and 13 at Japan Airlines that have Prat & Whitney 4000 engines.
