Spirit A319 at Dallas on Oct 15th 2013, contained engine failure

Last Update: February 6, 2015 / 18:25:55 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Spirit Airlines N516NK, Airbus A319 — Spirit Airlines N516NK, Airbus A319 (Photo credit: Aero Icarus / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Oct 15, 2013

Classification
Incident

Airline
Spirit Airlines

Flight number
NK-165

Departure
Dallas Ft. Worth, United States

Destination
Atlanta, United States

Aircraft Registration
N516NK

Aircraft Type
Airbus A319

ICAO Type Designator
A319

A Spirit Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration N516NK performing flight NK-165 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to Atlanta,GA (USA) with 145 passengers, was climbing through FL200 out of Dallas when the left hand engine (V2524) emitted a huge bang and smoke began to appear in cabin and cockpit prompting the flight crew to don their oxygen masks and shut the engine down. The aircraft returned to Dallas Ft. Worth, significant weather warning of thunderstorms in effect, and while being vectored for an ILS approach to runway 35C and cleared for the approach the crew declined stating they needed to go through the localizer and join the localizer from the other side, their speed was decreasing through 255 KIAS at that point. The aircraft was turned outbound to reposition to join the localizer, a number of aircraft approaching other DFW runways began to go around due to weather. The crew joined the localizer on their second attempt. The approach controller advised all emergency services were waiting and queried whether they had problems with the instruments, the crew replies "yes" but confirmed they had localizer and glideslope indication. The controller monitored the flight progress very carefully notifying the crew that localizer tracking and glidepath appeared good before handing the aircraft off to tower. The aircraft landed safely on Dallas Ft. Worth's runway 35C about 30 minutes after stopping the climb.

The NTSB dispatched investigators on site despite the government shutdown initially stating the engine failure had been uncontained.

On Oct 18th 2013, after the government shutdown had been ended, the NTSB issued a press release stating that after assessment it was determined the engine casing had not been breached, the engine failure is now rated contained. The investigation is ongoing, the engine will be taken to a laboratory for further analysis.

On Nov 13th 2013 the NTSB reported in their preliminary report that the aircraft was climbing through about FL190 when the crew received an Engine Pressure Ratio (EPR) fault, a N2 over limit warning and an Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) over limit warning for the #1 engine (V2524). Approximately three minutes later a loud bang was heard followed by the engine #1 fire warning. The crew declared emergency, shut down the engine and discharged one of the fire bottles. Following return and safe landing emergency services confirmed there was no fire, ground crew reported substantial damage to the low pressure turbine. The thrust reverser cowls were opened, large sections of the low pressure turbine and turbine exhaust case were missing.

The airline reported the crew received indication of a mechanical malfunction, shut an engine down and returned to Dallas for a normal landing.

Passengers reported a huge engine explosion followed by smoke billowing into the cabin. The aircraft was shaking violently before the engine was shut down.

A replacement Airbus A319-100 registration N506NK reached Atlanta with a delay of 4:45 hours.

On Feb 6th 2015 the NTSB released their final report concluding the probable cause of the occurrence rated an incident was:

A high pressure turbine 2nd stage blade separation due to stress corrosion cracking in the J channel cooling cavity. The failed blade entered the gas path and caused substantial damage to the low pressure turbine. The engine was subsequently left at a high power setting for approximately four minutes, exposing the turbine hardware to temperatures that exceeded the material annealing temperature and resulted in in failure and separation of multiple engine components.

The NTSB wrote: " The flight crew reported that about ten minutes after takeoff, at FL190, the electronic centralized aircraft monitor (ECAM) displayed a No. 1 engine pressure ratio (EPR) mode fault, N2 over limit warning, and an exhaust gas temperature (EGT) over limit warning. The ECAM notifications coincided with heavy vibrations that could be felt throughout the cockpit and cabin. Both engines were advanced to the take-off/go around (TO/GA) power setting until a No. 1 engine fire warning registered about four minutes later at which time the flight crew shutdown the No. 1 engine and discharged one fire suppression bottle. During the event sequence smoke began entering the cockpit and the crew donned oxygen masks. The airplane returned to DFW and executed an uneventful single engine landing."

The NTSB described the damage: "The No. 1 engine low pressure turbine (LPT) 3rd and 4th stage disks, turbine exhaust case center body, and the No. 5 bearing housing were jettisoned from the engine. The LPT 5th stage disk had separated from the 6th stage disk and was hanging on the LPT shaft. There was extensive damage to all remaining high pressure turbine (HPT) and LPT hardware. Large sections of the LPT and exhaust cases were breached and not recovered. The engine cowlings were in good condition without indications of radial uncontainment."