Passenger plane caught fire after engine-part broke away on take-off

A Boeing 767 taking off from a UK airport caught fire after one of the blades in the engine shattered and ruptured a fuel line. During takeoff from Edinburgh Airport bound for New York, a high-pressure turbine blade fractured in the right engine of a plane full of passengers.

The blade damaged a further five blades and caused vibrations sufficient to fracture a tube in the wing of the plane which allowed fuel to escape from the right wing fuel tank. The flight recorder captured the pilot saying: "I don't want to stay in the air with that engine."

Due to the high engine vibration, the flight crew diverted the aircraft to Prestwick Airport. During the diversion, fuel escaping from the wing was ignited by the hot engine exhaust, but the flames extinguished before landing.

The aircraft landed promptly, with full emergency service attendance. After the aircraft arrived on stand, the airport fire service noticed the fuel coming from the right wing and put provisions in place to capture the fuel, preventing it igniting on the hot engine or brakes.

The passengers were rapidly disembarked, with no injuries.

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.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch has just released details of the accident on February 10, 2023.