737 engine falls off wing after takeoff

the_professor · Post by **the_professor** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:08 am

Good thing it didn't take all the hydraulics with it, like the DC-10 out of Florida (?) years ago, which subsequently piled it in...

Next question is where did the engine (now a missile) land?

Plane lands in South Africa after engine falls off
Plane carrying more than 100 people makes emergency landing in South Africa

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) -- A plane carrying more than 100 people made an emergency landing in South Africa after an engine fell off during takeoff from Cape Town on Wednesday, officials said. No injuries were reported.

The Nationwide airline plane, bound for Johannesburg, touched down safely after the airport's fire and rescue services rushed to clear debris from the runway.

The right engine of the Boeing 737 "separated from the wing. The aircraft continued to climb out," the airline said in a statement.

One of the passengers, Pretoria businesswoman Ronel Derman, told the South African Press Association that she had been in a seat directly over the wing and a passenger seated next to her was looking out of the window when the engine dropped.

"I heard this huge bang, and he said, 'That's our engine that's just fallen off.' I couldn't believe it. He had to repeat it to me," she told SAPA.

CID · Post by **CID** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 7:05 am

This has happened before assuming its a 100/200. I think it's usually attributed to failure of the rear engine mount cone bolt.

Legacy · Post by **Legacy** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 9:44 am

Obviously lack of maintenance.

2R · Post by 2R » Thu Nov 08, 2007 9:54 am

Can you keep the engine if it lands in your backyard ???

Hedley · Post by **Hedley** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:19 am

I'm not sure I understand what the fuss is all about ....

Doesn't Boeing design their engines to shear cleanly off?

Why is everyone getting their knickers in a twist about a design decision made before they were born? Wasn't there a famous 747 incident some years back where the engines (again) sheared off, as per design?

BTD · Post by **BTD** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:27 am

http://www.airdisaster.com/reports/ntsb/AAR79-17.pdf

There is the accident report for the DC-10 out of Chicago. Once those slats retracted, they didn't have a chance.

linecrew · Post by **linecrew** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:42 am

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/a ... ge_id=1770

Engine falls off passenger plane during takeoff

Terrified passengers were forced to adopt emergency brace positions after an engine FELL OFF their aeroplane during takeoff.

Crash landing procedures were rushed into action when machinery separated from the right wing and plummeted on to the runway.

The Nationwide Boeing 737 plane had been taking off from Cape Town Airport, South Africa, at 3.30pm on Wednesday when the drama unfolded.

The plane, carrying 106 passengers, was continuing to climb as debris fell to the ground and the pilot was instructed to turn back and make an emergency landing.

Airport fire and rescue services rushed to the runway to clear the wreckage before the plane came down.

The Flight CE723, which had been bound for Johannesburg, eventually touched down safely as passengers braced themselves for a crash landing.

South African businesswoman Ronel Derman, 46, said she had been in a seat directly over the wing.

"I heard this huge bang, and the man next to me said: 'That's our engine that's just fallen off'.

I couldn't believe it. He had to repeat it to me," she said.

"The plane started to shake a bit, but what was amazing was the staff and passengers. Everybody was so calm. There was no hysteria, no nothing, it was amazing."

While the plane was making a wide turn and dumping fuel, cabin crew took passengers through the emergency procedures, getting them to take off their shoes and practice bending down.

"They didn't know what to expect. It could have been a hard landing. It could have been anything," said Ms Derman.

"I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life, ever," she said.

When the plane had come to a stop surrounded by fire engines, the pilot walked into the cabin, and passengers cheered.

The airline said: "At take-off it was reported that the right hand engine separated from the wing. The aircraft continued to climb out.

"The aircraft returned and landed at Cape Town International Airport without further incident."

The Civil Aviation Authority's executive manager for air safety investigations, Gilbert Thwala, said investigators were looking into the incident.

No passengers or crew were injured. Passengers were taken to a holding area where Nationwide representatives and trauma counsellors were on hand.

WJ700 · Post by **WJ700** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:46 am

This is why the Boeing checklists call it a 'Engine Severe Damage/Separation QRC'. The 737 design is to shear from the front to back and fall away from the airplane. The 727 engines, number 1 and 3 are designed to separate outward and fall away from the T tail.

I don't have any airbus experience but I assume it tucks the troubled engine away neatly in pit 1 without bothering you.

CID · Post by **CID** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:51 am

linecrew,

Do you think that big red circle had anything to do with the engine falling off?

linecrew · Post by **linecrew** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:59 am

CID wrote:linecrew,

Do you think that big red circle had anything to do with the engine falling off?

phukd-if-i-know. Ask the reporter that put it in the pics like that in his article...I just linked staright to them.

BoostedNihilist · Post by **BoostedNihilist** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 1:50 pm

Timbre · Post by **Timbre** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 4:15 pm

Have no worries, they should have a fresh engine on there by the time you get there.

DA900 · Post by **DA900** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 4:18 pm

linecrew wrote:
While the plane was making a wide turn and dumping fuel

I really must contact the Dailymail and find where these airlines are getting these fuel dump mod's. How unusual for a news organization to make up a story. Seeing how they always get their facts straight before publishing.

Good job by the crew never the less. Although I wouldn’t have wasted time looking for that fuel dump handle.

Four1oh · Post by **Four1oh** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:06 pm

my vote for 'punch-a-reporter' law. If a reporter screws up or makes up parts of a story, the offending party has the right to a free punch in the nose.

Apache64_ · Post by **Apache64_** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:10 pm

Forgive my ignorance, why do you take your shoes off during an emergency landing? Personally, I think I will keep them on.

While the plane was making a wide turn and dumping fuel, cabin crew took passengers through the emergency procedures, getting them to take off their shoes and practice bending down.

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:12 pm

I can't believe the industry these days....

They should have landed, signed out a Weight and Balance Amendment, and carried on.... Man, nobody has any gumption these days....

stl

fogghorn · Post by **fogghorn** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 7:24 pm

They seem to have located the big chunks, wonder where the cowls ended up? Minor detail I suppose, but they should have carried on with the flight, good fuel savings and all

- woosses

Legacy · Post by **Legacy** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 8:07 pm

Just talked to a friend of mine. It was his friend that this happened to. bad day.

Four1oh · Post by **Four1oh** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 8:26 pm

Legacy wrote:Just talked to a friend of mine. It was his friend that this happened to. bad day.

any day you survive something like this is a fucking GREAT day!

Legacy · Post by **Legacy** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 9:07 pm

Four1oh wrote:
Legacy wrote:Just talked to a friend of mine. It was his friend that this happened to. bad day.
any day you survive something like this is a fucking GREAT day!

lol....touche!

Siddley Hawker · Post by **Siddley Hawker** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 9:21 pm

I wonder if you gotta log that as single engine time?

Good job by the crew though. The pucker factor must have been pretty high.

CID · Post by **CID** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:59 am

Forgive my ignorance, why do you take your shoes off during an emergency landing? Personally, I think I will keep them on.

Shoes have a tendancy of ripping the inflatable escape slide. Ignorance forgiven.

W5 · Post by W5 » Fri Nov 09, 2007 12:20 pm

Foreign object ingestion led 737 to shed engine: Nationwide

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... nwide.html

linecrew · Post by **linecrew** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 1:38 pm

Legacy wrote:Obviously lack of maintenance.

...rrright. <sigh>

Troubleshot · Post by **Troubleshot** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 2:03 pm

yes of course....maintenance....Legacy must have done a detailed pre-departure inspection of the aircraft in question, otherwise he would never make such "media-like" statements. Jesus.....