VivaAeroBus Airbus A320 Suffered Engine Surge on Takeoff
On 23rd August, a VivaAeroBus Airbus A320 was forced to return to Guadalajara in Mexico after suffering an engine surge shortly after takeoff.
The Airbus A320-200 with registration XA-VAJ was performing flight VB518 from Guadalajara International to Los Angeles. A loud boom was heard from the right-hand engine while it was climbing out of the airport.
After noticing the loud boom, the crew stopped the climb at 13,150 feet, shut the engine down and returned to Guadalajara. The A320 safely landed on runway 10 some 43 minutes after departure from the same runway.
As seen in the footage shared on the internet, streaks of flames and sparks can be seen emitted from the right hand engine.
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Lost Engine Cowling
On 22nd August, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 lost parts of its engine cowling during an emergency landing at Seattle International Airport.
The Boeing 737-900ER with registration N293AK was operating flight AS558 from Seattle to San Diego with 182 people on board. However, shortly after the take-off, pilots noted an “unusual vibration” on the left-hand side of the aircraft.
The crew then stopped the climb at about 12,500 feet and decided to land back in Seattle, as reported by the Aviation Herald. The aircraft landed on Seattle’s runway 16L some 30 minutes after departure from the same runway.
However, upon touchdown, the left-hand CFM56 engine’s cowling came loose and ripped off. As seen in the footage shared on the internet, part of the aircraft’s left-hand engine cowling came loose and eventually tore off as the aircraft slowed down.
“Alaska Airlines Flight 558 from Seattle to San Diego on Monday morning reported an unusual vibration on the left side of the aircraft soon after departure. The aircraft returned to the airport and landed safely. Part of the metal panelling that covers the engine, called the cowling, detached from the aircraft when it landed.”
Alaska Airlines
None of the 176 passengers and six crew members on board was injured in the incident and the passengers reached San Diego on a replacement aircraft. Moreover, the runway was temporarily closed for sweeping and removing the debris after the incident.
On 23rd August, the FAA reported that the aircraft declared an emergency due to a loose panel on the left wing. However, the US aviation watchdog stated that the damage was unknown. The 3.9 years old aircraft involved in the incident was taken out of service and is being investigated by the airline’s safety team.
Feature Image via Twitter