This is a developing story and will be updated
An Airbus A380 VH-OQA operating as Qantas Flight 32 from Singapore to Sydney appears to have suffered an uncontained failure of the second of four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines. The flight was operated with 440 passengers and 26 crew on board. The 450-seat aircraft, MSN014, was the first delivered to Qantas in September 2008 following its maiden flight in January of that same year. This particular A380 entered service on October 20 flying Qantas Flight 93 between Mebourne and Los Angeles.
Initial reports first indicated that the A380 had crashed in Indonesia after reports of an explosion followed by debris found on the ground near the island of Batam. Those were quickly confirmed as false upon confirmation from Qantas that the aircraft was dumping fuel and returning to Singapore with an "engine issue." The Australian Transportation Safety Board says the incident occurred around 1:30 PM ESuT and landed at 11:45 AM local time back at Singapore's Changi Airport.
As a result of this incident, Qantas says it has "suspended scheduled A380 takeoffs until sufficient information has been obtained about what occurred on QF32." Airbus and Rolls-Royce have both released statements on the incident, saying they will work closely with investigators to determine the cause of the failure.
Some Questions and Further Information
While the investigation is still in its earliest phases, it appear the failure in the number two engine was uncontained, as parts penetrated the wing. VH-OQA landed with its trailing edge flaps fully extended and leading edge slats retracted, as well as the landing gear doors in the open position. While it is speculative, it appears the crew lowered the landing gear in alternate drop mode, though this is unconfirmed.
It it worth noting that only the front fan casing is designed to capture a blade failure. The engine core casing itself is not design to contain a failure, per FAA and EASA certification, rather uncontained disk failure is "mitigated by designating disks as safety-critical parts, defined as the parts of an engine whose failure is likely to present a direct hazard to the aircraft," according to the NTSB.
Photo Via PPrune
Channel 4 news in the UK obtained video from onboard VH-OQA that appears to have been taken from the lower deck of the A380. You will hear the calm and collected announcement by the captain as the airplane begins its bank to the left to begin its track back to Singapore.
Unclear at the moment is what role, if any, the Trent 900 IP shaft rigid coupling inspections ordered by EASA earlier this year played in the failure. Though one source in Toulouse suggests the early investigation is focusing on a part of the engine that is farther forward in the nacelle.
While the investigation is still in its earliest phases, it appear the failure in the number two engine was uncontained, as parts penetrated the wing. VH-OQA landed with its trailing edge flaps fully extended and leading edge slats retracted, as well as the landing gear doors in the open position. While it is speculative, it appears the crew lowered the landing gear in alternate drop mode, though this is unconfirmed.
It it worth noting that only the front fan casing is designed to capture a blade failure. The engine core casing itself is not design to contain a failure, per FAA and EASA certification, rather uncontained disk failure is "mitigated by designating disks as safety-critical parts, defined as the parts of an engine whose failure is likely to present a direct hazard to the aircraft," according to the NTSB.
Photo Via PPrune
Channel 4 news in the UK obtained video from onboard VH-OQA that appears to have been taken from the lower deck of the A380. You will hear the calm and collected announcement by the captain as the airplane begins its bank to the left to begin its track back to Singapore.
Unclear at the moment is what role, if any, the Trent 900 IP shaft rigid coupling inspections ordered by EASA earlier this year played in the failure. Though one source in Toulouse suggests the early investigation is focusing on a part of the engine that is farther forward in the nacelle.
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