The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is probing an engine failure during take-off involving a Regional Express Saab 340B.
The turboprop (registered VH-ZPN) was departing from Adelaide airport on 8 October on a flight for Broken Hill.
As the aircraft was taking off, the crew received indications of an “abnormal” left engine and rejected the take-off. This led to the failure of the left engine. Media reports of the incident also suggest the left engine had caught fire after the rejected take-off.
The ATSB has classified the incident as serious and is now collecting evidence of the incident.
This will involve “interviewing involved parties, examination of maintenance records, retrieving and reviewing recorded data, examining any recovered components, and the collection of other relevant information”, states the ATSB, which expects to release a final report in the second quarter of 2026.
According to data from aviation analytics company Cirium, the turboprop was built in 1996 and first operated with US regional operator Simmons Airlines for American Eagle.
The Saab 340B, which is powered by a pair of GE Aerospace CT7-9B engines, was delivered to Rex in 2010.
