Aussie probe blames engine defect for Qantas A380 woes
Source: Agencies |
December 3, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AUSTRALIAN investigators yesterday identified the source of an oil leak that caused a superjumbo engine to blow apart in mid-air last month, and blamed a suspected manufacturing defect in the Rolls-Royce engine.
They warned airlines the potential flaw could cause engine failure.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau recommended the three airlines that use Rolls-Royce's massive Trent 900 engines on their A380s go back and conduct more checks now that it had pinpointed the problem area. Three airlines fly a total of 20 such planes.
Earlier warnings blamed an oil leak for a fire and subsequent chain of failures that sent heavy parts flying off an engine on a Qantas A380 shortly after it took off from Singapore on November 4, the most serious safety problem for the world's largest and newest jetliner.
The ATSB, which is leading the international investigation into the Qantas breakup, added some specifics yesterday, saying a section of an oil tube that connects the high-pressure and intermediate-pressure bearing structures of the engine was the danger area.
"The problem relates to the potential for misaligned oil pipe counter-boring, which could lead to fatigue cracking, oil leakage and potential engine failure from an oil fire," the ATSB said in a brief statement.
It called the problem "a potential manufacturing defect."
Counter-boring involves placing a larger hole over a smaller hole to make room for a seal. The ATSB said a misalignment of those holes had produced a thinning of the oil pipe wall and fatigue cracks. That could have led to oil leaking into a section of the engine containing extremely hot gas - a mixture of burned fuel and air. If oil comes into contact with the hot gas, it will burn.
"It is a design error and obviously a major one," said Peter Marosszeky, a jetliner maintenance expert at the University of New South Wales.
The ATSB recommended close inspections of all Trent 900 engines to look for signs of the counter-boring problem. Any engines that display such signs should be removed from service, it said.
In response to that recommendation, Rolls-Royce, affected airlines and other safety regulators were taking action to ensure the A380s involved were safe, the ATSB statement said.
The three airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Germany's Lufthansa, conducted extensive checks of their Trent 900 engines and modified some parts in compliance with a November 11 directive from the European Aviation Safety Authority.
Qantas, which grounded its six A380s for more than three weeks after the blowout, said yesterday it would conduct one-time checks on its superjumbos. Qantas replaced 16 Trent 900s before putting just two of its A380s back into the skies five days ago. The ATSB finding strengthens Qantas CEO Alan Joyce's stated belief the incident was caused by a manufacturing problem, not a maintenance issue for which the airline could bear responsibility. Rolls-Royce has remained largely silent about the issue since it happened.
Qantas said yesterday it filed a statement of claim in a federal court that will allow it to pursue possible legal action against Rolls-Royce if it isn't satisfied with a compensation offer from the engine manufacturer.
Singapore Airlines has 11 superjumbos which use Trent 900 engines and Lufthansa has three. Singapore Airlines said yesterday it, too, is conducting new checks of its engines.
They warned airlines the potential flaw could cause engine failure.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau recommended the three airlines that use Rolls-Royce's massive Trent 900 engines on their A380s go back and conduct more checks now that it had pinpointed the problem area. Three airlines fly a total of 20 such planes.
Earlier warnings blamed an oil leak for a fire and subsequent chain of failures that sent heavy parts flying off an engine on a Qantas A380 shortly after it took off from Singapore on November 4, the most serious safety problem for the world's largest and newest jetliner.
The ATSB, which is leading the international investigation into the Qantas breakup, added some specifics yesterday, saying a section of an oil tube that connects the high-pressure and intermediate-pressure bearing structures of the engine was the danger area.
"The problem relates to the potential for misaligned oil pipe counter-boring, which could lead to fatigue cracking, oil leakage and potential engine failure from an oil fire," the ATSB said in a brief statement.
It called the problem "a potential manufacturing defect."
Counter-boring involves placing a larger hole over a smaller hole to make room for a seal. The ATSB said a misalignment of those holes had produced a thinning of the oil pipe wall and fatigue cracks. That could have led to oil leaking into a section of the engine containing extremely hot gas - a mixture of burned fuel and air. If oil comes into contact with the hot gas, it will burn.
"It is a design error and obviously a major one," said Peter Marosszeky, a jetliner maintenance expert at the University of New South Wales.
The ATSB recommended close inspections of all Trent 900 engines to look for signs of the counter-boring problem. Any engines that display such signs should be removed from service, it said.
In response to that recommendation, Rolls-Royce, affected airlines and other safety regulators were taking action to ensure the A380s involved were safe, the ATSB statement said.
The three airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Germany's Lufthansa, conducted extensive checks of their Trent 900 engines and modified some parts in compliance with a November 11 directive from the European Aviation Safety Authority.
Qantas, which grounded its six A380s for more than three weeks after the blowout, said yesterday it would conduct one-time checks on its superjumbos. Qantas replaced 16 Trent 900s before putting just two of its A380s back into the skies five days ago. The ATSB finding strengthens Qantas CEO Alan Joyce's stated belief the incident was caused by a manufacturing problem, not a maintenance issue for which the airline could bear responsibility. Rolls-Royce has remained largely silent about the issue since it happened.
Qantas said yesterday it filed a statement of claim in a federal court that will allow it to pursue possible legal action against Rolls-Royce if it isn't satisfied with a compensation offer from the engine manufacturer.
Singapore Airlines has 11 superjumbos which use Trent 900 engines and Lufthansa has three. Singapore Airlines said yesterday it, too, is conducting new checks of its engines.
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