Japan Grounds Boeing 777s After United Jet Engine Failure
Japan Airlines Co. and ANA Holdings Inc. have been ordered to ground their Boeing Co. 777 planes after an engine failure on a United Airlines jet Saturday that rained debris over a Denver suburb.
Japan's transport ministry ordered the grounding Sunday while safety checks are conducted. ANA operates 19 planes and JAL 13 with the Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engine that failed on the United Airlines flight.
After Saturday's Engine Failure, Boeing Says Many 777s Should be Grounded
After Saturday's engine failure, Boeing says many 777s should be grounded:
While the National Transportation Safety Board investigates an aircraft engine failure that occurred in flight on Saturday, manufacturer Boeing has recommended that airlines suspend flying certain versions of the 777 wide-body airliner.
"Boeing is actively monitoring recent events related to United Airlines Flight 328," the company stated on Sunday. "While the NTSB investigation is ongoing, we recommended 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."
There are versions of the 777 aircraft with engines built by three different manufacturers. For about the last 15 years, new 777s have all been delivered with GE-made engines. So this recommendation applies to older models of the aircraft still in service.
Before Boeing's announcement on Sunday, Japan's transport ministry had already told its domestic airlines, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, to ground their fleets of 777 aircraft flying with Pratt & Whitney engines.
This was to give investigators more time to determine what happened with United Airlines Flight 328 on Saturday, when a passenger plane took off from Denver International Airport bound for Honolulu, Hawaii. None of the 229 passengers or 10 crew members was injured.
On Sunday, the NTSB released a preliminary update on the incident, when the plane experienced a right engine failure shortly after flying from the Denver airport. Investigators found that the inlet and cowling separated from the PW4077 engine and that two fan blades were fractured. The other fan blades in the engine were damaged. Many of the engine components fell over populated areas.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday February 23 2021, @01:47PM (2 children)
Several stories in my news feed this morning are blaming metal fatigue, which would put this squarely on the shoulders of maintenance departments.
https://nypost.com/2021/02/23/damage-to-boeing-777-fan-consistent-with-metal-fatigue-ntsb/ [nypost.com]
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 23 2021, @02:15PM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_PW4000 [wikipedia.org]
This is not the only time this engine has failed like this. The inspection regime was added following 2018 failure where there was an internal crack leading to failure. And yet? I would not dismiss this as some "one-of sloppy maintenance" which you seem to be alluding to with your comment.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 23 2021, @02:58PM
But of course it was fatigue, 'twas Saturday FFS.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 23 2021, @03:25PM (8 children)
i'm bored of hearing about boeing's shitty airplanes crashing
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 23 2021, @05:16PM (3 children)
You should be concerned. What other US manufacturer can step in to take over? None, market will go to Airbus.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 23 2021, @05:38PM
and then socialism wins. quick hide the black box data!
(Score: 3, Interesting) by sjames on Tuesday February 23 2021, @11:20PM
In this case, it's not Boeing's fault. The engine was a Pratt and Whitney. Some Airbuss are also fitted with a related engine. Newer 777s have a different engine.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Wednesday February 24 2021, @08:29PM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday February 23 2021, @06:55PM (2 children)
But this one didn't crash. It landed safely.
The only tiny, minor, really inconsequential thing that happened is that the plane started falling apart in mid air. Really just a trifle. A minor detail.
McDonnell Douglas bought Boeing using Boeing's money. Then it became all about the stock price and not about engineering.
No humans have been killed in Boeing's Starliner capsule, nor any on SLS. So a perfect operational record. Nothing to see hear.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 23 2021, @11:31PM (1 child)
Fake news. The airlines are in the pocket of Q and you know what he wants.
(Score: 2) by kazzie on Wednesday February 24 2021, @04:57PM
Why don't you tell us, Picard?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 23 2021, @10:04PM
This one isn't even Boeing's fault. The engine is designed and manufactured a different company, leased from a second (PBH), and maintained by a third. Boeing just gives the required design specs and P&W's engine isn't the only one that fits that envelope.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 23 2021, @07:23PM (1 child)
You've still got a couple of more models that aren't actively trying to kill their passengers...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 24 2021, @02:53AM
Time toe MAX them up.