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FTW87IA108

1987-04-28 · DENTON, Texas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT ENGINE, WHILE IN FLIGHT, LOST A BLADE FROM ITS FOURTH STAGE TURBINE WHEEL DUE TO METAL FATIGUE. THIS RESULTED IN VARYING DEGREES OF DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE ENGINE AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT ITSELF DOWN WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 19,000 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT HAD DEPARTED DALLAS, TX, 19 MINUTES EARLIER. AFTER THE ENGINE FAILURE THE FLT RETURNED TO DALLAS WHERE A SINGLE ENGINE UNEVENTFUL LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED. EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED BLADE REVEALED THE METAL FATIGUE WAS THE RESULT OF EXCESS POROSITY WHICH WAS PRESENT WHEN THE BLADE WAS CAST. THE MANUFACTURER AGREES THAT THIS IMPERFECTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN DETECTED BY THEIR INSPECTION METHODS AND THE BLADE REJECTED. THE BLADE FAILED AFTER ABOUT 400 HOURS OF OPERATION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1987_FTW87IA108.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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