Ever had an engine failure?

[Rank&File]

I was thinking about this after my last PC, what is the likely-hood of actually having an engine fail during a critical phase of flight, i.e., after V1 and before acceleration height? I'm talking about professionally maintained, transport category, turbine powered aircraft here. My question is, how many of you have ever had an engine FAIL (not IFSD)? I was talking to my father about this, who is nearing retirement and has nearly 30,000 hours. He has never had an engine failure, and only three in-flight shut-downs during his entire career (two were on the same aircraft, simultaneously!). Tell me your story.

 

[cl-65link]

Had one in the J-31. Same company you and I work for. We had about 3-4 in one 12 month period at Express I, mine was in August or September '97. Sorry, can't remember without digging out the logbook. I believe they traced the problems to one engine shop in Ohio where we got some engines from. Without going into too much detail, the burner can developed a 'hot spot" or uneven burn. It caused the rear turbine bearing to fail and the engine seized. Fortunately, we were about 40 miles from Eau Claire, in a descent and had only one pax. We made an uneventful single-engine landing there.

 

[skyking1976]

40 NM NE of Alamosa, CO at FL200 in a PA-31 Navajo. Fuel pump failed taking oil lines with it. Pretty much instantaneous failure as ALL the oil went out of the engine quite rapidly and the turbo seized. Uneventful single engine landing at Pueblo (much better emergency services there). Read more about it here....
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=123085#post123085

Cheers,
Skyking

 

[saabcaptain]

I was PIC on a SF-340B departing KMDW 31C (6000 ft), 34C, full passengers, large jumpseater. Total right engine failure (lost a blade on the first gas generator turbine) 1-2 seconds after becoming airborne at approx. 50-80 feet AGL. Climbed at 300 fpm in VMC and flew a visual pattern to uneventful landing. Much easier handling than in the sim but obviously much more suprising.

It happens.

 

[Jet_Dreamer]

ce-172rg engine failure. oil line broke. uneventful landing on airport. i was in the right place and the right time. this was a 135 flight.

 

[banned username 2]

He has never had an engine failure, and only three in-flight shut-downs during his entire career (two were on the same aircraft, simultaneously!). Tell me your story.

Tell us THIS story! Sounds interesting!

 

[tcoll777]

skyking1976


What were you doing at FL 200? Even with oxegen your better off down low fuel flow wise..........ex airnet training talking!!

 

[Rick1128]

Skyking may have been in a P-Navajo.

Personally, I have had eight engine failures, not shutdowns. All in transport type aircraft. All but one was on takeoff and all but two were Pratts. They do happen and will surprise you. You need to know the aircraft as sometimes, and that means just once in a great while, you are better off not following proper procedure. For an example, I was flying an SD3-30 and lost an engine after V1. Proper procedure is to continue the takeoff. We were at gross and it was hot, so anyone who has flown the Shorts knows what a sick puppy it is under those conditions. We were using an 11,000 foot runway and I aborted the takeoff. Was it proper procedure? No. Was the right way to go? At the time and to this day, I believe so.

One has to know how the numbers are arrived at. Many aircraft have a V1 set up on balanced field length. If you have more runway then the real V1 is higher.

Before the self professed 'experts' start their lectures let me say this. This is not to say one should go out and not follow procedures. But to say one should keep an open mind to alternative options. My situation was one of the exceptions that proves the rules.

 

[flx757]

20+ years and 15,000 hours. No engine failures (yet, knock on wood), 3 in-flight shutdowns--2 turboprops (BE-90, Metro), 1 turbojet (B-737-200), all oil related, either low pressure or high temp. All resulted in uneventful landings.

 

[Rank&File]

He has never had an engine failure, and only three in-flight shut-downs during his entire career (two were on the same aircraft, simultaneously!).

It was on a National Airlines 747 over the Swiss Alps. They had to shut down #1 and #2 due to high oil temps. They were able to maintian around 10,000 feet with just the two remaining engines. They air-started the #1 before landing in Rome, and landed uneventfully.