An investigation revealed that a New York-bound Boeing flight had engine failure and a fuel leak, causing flames to shoot from its wings.
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Delta Flight DAL209 gained widespread attention in February last year. A passenger captured the alarming sight of sparks and flames following a loud bang. The video, which went viral, revealed some of the 211 passengers onboard reacting with tears.
A UK government investigation revealed that a high-pressure turbine blade in the right engine fractured during takeoff from Edinburgh Airport en route to New York.
According to the report released Friday by the government’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch, the blade damaged five additional blades. This caused an imbalance and fracturing of a tube in the wing.
“Fuel escaping from the wing was ignited by the hot engine exhaust, and this was recorded on video by a passenger,” the report continued. It also noted a “significant potential for a fuel fire.”
The flames were extinguished, and the JFK-bound jet was diverted to another Scottish airport. “The passengers were rapidly disembarked, with no injuries,” the report added.
A Reporter Recalls the Boeing Engine Making Louds Noises
BBC News journalist Laura Pettigrew noted that passengers seemed more confused than panicked at the time.
“The plane took off and there was a loud engine noise. [It was] similar to the noise normally during take-off and landing, but it seemed to continue once we were in the air,” Pettigrew explained.
“When the plane touched down we could see fire trucks and firefighters with hoses rushing towards us,” Pettigrew added.
Pettigrew mentioned that she didn’t grasp the severity of the incident at the time. It wasn’t until they reached the terminal and overheard conversations about the events that the potential danger was revealed. She praised the aircrew on board, describing them as “amazing.”
“They kept everyone calm,” she recalled. “The pilots seemed to do a smooth job of getting us down safely. Apparently the cabin crew were preparing for a crash landing.”
Meanwhile, the UK authority also announced that it had forwarded its report to the US.
“A safety recommendation has been made to the Federal Aviation Administration that requires the Boeing Aircraft Company to demonstrate that following this serious incident, the design of the slat track housing drain tube on the Boeing 767 family of aircraft continues to comply with the certification requirements for large transport aircraft.”