http://blog.flightstory.net/437/follow-up-southwest-engine-failure/
This is pretty shocking so it’ll be interesting to see how this could have happened. Luckily the exiting fan blade flew away from the aircraft.
By: Cking - 1st December 2007 at 10:05
This is very nasty
The fact that the fan blade actualy made it all the way through the fan case must be causing a few sleepless nights at CFM! As you know part of the certification process is a test to ensure that the fan case contains the blade if it comes off.
Judas: Doing the inspection won’t be that bad, PAYING for the damage will be another matter!!!
I have seen pictures of a RR trent that had a blade come off during the take off roll. Now that WAS messy!!
BTW Rolls Royce wrap some of their fan cases in a Kevlar blanket to stop a blade if it gets through.
Rgds Cking
By: steve rowell - 29th November 2007 at 23:30
http://blog.flightstory.net/437/follow-up-southwest-engine-failure/
Luckily the exiting fan blade flew away from the aircraft.
Indeed.. it could have been catastrophic
By: symon - 29th November 2007 at 18:24
That is very interesting. Indeed lucky that that was the point it came off at – it could have been a far worse angle. Also interesting that it wasn’t contained. And that is only the damage the ‘slow’ spinning LP fan blades make, the HP blades would be worse!
The inspection for this will be dreaful, I certainly wouldn’t like to be the one doing the detailed boroscope inspection!
I’ve just finished an interesting course on failure analysis, I would love to study one of those fan blades.
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November 29, 2007 at 5:11 pm