Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary NYC90FA038

NEWARK, NJ, USA

Aircraft #1

N727PJ

BOEING 727-31

Analysis

AT FLIGHT LEVEL 370 THE CREW HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION-TYPE NOISE. THE #1 ENGINE SHOWED A POWER LOSS, AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE CREW SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN, AND AN UNEVENTFUL 2-ENGINE LANDING WAS MADE AT NEWARK. AN ENGINE TURBINE BLADE WAS FOUND LODGED IN THE AIRPLANE'S VERTICAL STABILIZER. AN ENGINE TEARDOWN SHOWED THERMAL DISTRESS TO THE FIRST STAGE TURBINE BLADES CAUSING A DEGRADATION OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES RESULTING IN BLADE FRACTURES. THE CAUSE OF THE THERMAL DISTRESS WAS NOT DETERMINED.

Probable Cause and Findings

THERMAL DISTRESS OF THE FIRST STAGE TURBINE BLADES OF THE NUBER ONE ENGINE CAUSING A DEGRADATION OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES WHICH RESULTED IN BLADE FRACTURES. THE REASON FOR THE THERMAL DISTRESS WAS NOT DETERMINED.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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