Fedex B763 at Newark on Mar 1st 2025, engine fire due to bird strike

Last Update: May 21, 2025 / 19:54:06 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Mar 1, 2025

Classification
Incident

Airline
Fedex

Flight number
FX-3609

Departure
Newark, United States

Destination
Indianapolis, United States

Aircraft Registration
N178FE

Aircraft Type
Boeing 767-300

ICAO Type Designator
B763

A Fedex Federal Express Boeing 767-300, registration N178FE performing flight FX-3609 from Newark,NJ to Indianapolis,IN (USA) with 3 crew, was climbing out of Newark's runway 22L, tower already instructed to contact departure, when the crew still on tower declared emergency reporting they had taken a bird into the #2 engine (CF6). The crew of another aircraft on the ground advised tower, they believed they saw the right hand engine fall off the aircraft (which was not correct). Ground observers reported they saw the aircraft flying over them with large flames trailing the right hand engine. The aircraft stopped the climb at 2000 feet, shut the engine down, positioned for the approach and landed safely on runway 22L about 8 minutes after departure, emergency services already at the runway, the right hand engine still emitting continuous large flames through the exhaust, tower advising the crew the right hand engine emitted fire. The aircraft stopped on the runway, emergency services closed the runway. The crew subsequently advised emergency services, that they had discharged both fire bottles onto the engine after receiving an engine fire indication, emergency services confirmed the engine was still on fire and they were putting water on. Tower closed all runways. The crew reported they were just initiating the turn at about 500 feet AGL when birds got into the right hand engine. About 15 minutes after landing tower reopened runway 29 while runways 22L and 22R remained closed.

The NTSB announced: "The NTSB is investigating an incident in which a FedEx B-767 made an emergency landing at Newark Liberty International Airport after striking birds on departure out of the same airport on Saturday morning."

On May 21st 2025 the NTSB released their preliminary report summarizing the sequence of events:

The flight crewmembers reported that after takeoff and while climbing through an altitude of about 500 ft, the first officer (FO), who was the flying pilot, saw three white birds to the left side and underneath the airplane. He called “Birds!” and immediately thereafter heard an “abrupt bang” and the airplane experienced moderate to severe vibrations. The FO began a right turn back towards the airport and asked the captain to declare an emergency and advise Air Traffic Control (ATC) that they were returning to EWR.

The captain checked the engine indications “which soon displayed right engine damage including fire indications (fire bell, warning lights, discrete fire light on the right fuel control) and an R ENGINE FIRE message on the Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS) display”. As the FO continued to fly, the captain began the quick reference checklist (QRC) for the ‘ENGINE FIRE or Engine Severe Damage or Separation’, which resulted in the shutdown of the No. 2 (right engine) and discharge of one fire bottle. After the engine was shutdown, the airplane “flew much smoother” and the noise level reduced substantially. As the captain continued through the follow-up quick reference handbook (QRH) procedure, the fire indications persisted, and he discharged the 2nd fire bottle. However, the fire indications remained present for the rest of the flight.

The crew asked the passenger, who was type rated in the airplane, to move to the first observer seat and assist with checklists and airplane monitoring. During the base traffic pattern leg, the captain took control of the airplane from the FO, who assumed the pilot monitoring duties. After issuing the landing clearance, ATC initially advised that it appeared as though the fire on the right engine had gone out. Shortly afterward ATC called and advised there was fire visible on the right engine.

After landing, the captain stopped the airplane on the runway, shut down the left engine and contacted the aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) responders on the tower frequency. ARFF advised that fire was still visible, and they began applying water. Soon after, all the fire indications in the cockpit ceased. After receiving an “all clear” from the ARFF responders, the crew exited the airplane via the crew stairs.

A post accident examination of the airplane revealed bird remnants on the No. 1 engine nacelle (on the inside and outside of the inlet) as well as on sections of the engine spinner, fan blades, inlet and outlet guide vanes, the thrust reverser blocker doors, and on the drag link arms. All the fan blades were present and whole, several of the fan blades exhibited round soft-body airfoil leading-edge impacts and blade tip bending. The nacelle inlet lip skin was dented/impacted at about the 9:00 o’clock position with evidence of bird remains at the 2:30 o’clock position but no impact damage.

Bird remnants were present on the No. 2 engine spinner and fan blades, and on the thrust reverser blocker door drag links. All of the fan blades were present and exhibited a combination of leading edge and airfoil hard-body impact, missing material, gouging, tip rub, rips and tears, and bending in both the direction opposite of rotation and in the direction of rotation. One blade was fractured just outboard of the mid-span shroud. The inlet inner barrel liner exhibited multiple impact marks, holes, areas of missing material, trenching, and embedded metallic material, around the entire circumference.
Aircraft Registration Data
Registration mark
N178FE
Country of Registration
United States
Date of Registration
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Manufacturer
BOEING
Aircraft Model / Type
767-300F
Number of Seats
D Subscribe to unlock
ICAO Aircraft Type
B763
Year of Manufacture
gkd Subscribe to unlock
Serial Number
Jmnjk Subscribe to unlock
Aircraft Address / Mode S Code (HEX)
Ddqidj Subscribe to unlock
Engine Count
F Subscribe to unlock
Engine Manufacturer
Nh Subscribe to unlock
Engine Model
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Engine Type
MhcqAmqkc Subscribe to unlock
Pounds of Thrust
Mcqmd Subscribe to unlock
Main Owner
Jmk e klkjhjencp Abnbbklemiqf jAidgbgiddhebgcmpnbedAqbpjnpee dknAnfgfdicqdjmppAneddgbnfhfjcini lci cqkljfke fd Subscribe to unlock
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Mar 1, 2025

Classification
Incident

Airline
Fedex

Flight number
FX-3609

Departure
Newark, United States

Destination
Indianapolis, United States

Aircraft Registration
N178FE

Aircraft Type
Boeing 767-300

ICAO Type Designator
B763

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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