An internal defect in a commercial airliner engine caused an uncontained engine failure resulting in a fire and the emergency evacuation of all aboard, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said yesterday.
American Airlines flight 383, a Boeing 767 bound for Miami, was on its takeoff roll at Chicago O’Hare International Airport Oct. 28, 2016, when a turbine disk in the right engine failed, sending metal fragments through a fuel tank and wing structure. The flight crew rejected the takeoff just as the jetliner approached takeoff speed and stopped the airplane on the runway. All 161 passengers and 9 crewmembers evacuated as emergency responders battled the fuel-fed fire. The airplane was damaged beyond repair. One passenger was seriously injured. (NTSB photo above is by Ed Malinowski)