Uncontained engine failure og Bird strike

NTSB: Spirit jet had 'uncontained' engine failure By: Joan Lowy (AP) An engine on an Atlanta-bound Spirit Airlines jet where passengers said they heard an explosion and saw flames sustained an especially serious type of failure, a National Transportation Safety Board official said Wednesday. The official told The Associated Press that it was an "uncontained" engine failure, meaning broken pieces and parts of the engine escaped the outer engine housing. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. The plane returned to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Tuesday and landed safely. Passenger Fred Edwards told WGCL-TV in Atlanta that he heard an explosion before flames came up the side of the plane, lighting up the interior of the Airbus A319. He and other passengers reported that smoke then filled the cabin. Spirit spokeswoman Misty Pinson said no injuries were reported. She said the captain received an indication of a "possible mechanical issue" shortly after takeoff from the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. She said by email Wednesday that there was no fire, before adding later that Spirit is "actively investigating to confirm the specifics of what happened and the cause." The passengers were placed on another Spirit jet for Atlanta later Tuesday. Aircraft engines are designed to contain any broken pieces within the engine during a failure. That's because when parts are released, they often spray like shrapnel and cause severe damage to fuel lines, electrical cables, hydraulic lines and other critical aircraft systems. Airliners are capable of safely flying with only one engine if the other engine breaks down or has to be shut off, but damage from an uncontained engine failure can jeopardize the plane. Despite the government shutdown, NTSB is recalling furloughed investigators to open an investigation of the incident, the agency official said. Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown confirmed the agency is investigating the incident as well.

Plane makes emergency landing at Oakland International Airport following a 'bird strike'    Alaska Airlines flight was en route from San Jose to Honolulu this morning The 157 passengers and 6 crew members landed without injuries and re-boarded a different flight an hour later (AP) An Alaska Airlines flight en route from San Jose to Honolulu today was forced to make an emergency landing in Oakland shortly after takeoff after the crew reported a possible bird strike. The flight landed without incident at Oakland International Airport around 9 a.m. Wednesday. No one was injured, officials said. Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Marianne Lindsey said the pilot reported feeling something ingested into an engine and landed as a precaution. The Alaska Airlines flight en route from San Jose to Honolulu was forced to make an emergency landing in Oakland. The plane likely hit a bird, but Lindsey said crews were still inspecting the plane in the afternoon and had not yet confirmed a bird strike.