A faulty engine on an Airbus A350 that led to the cancellation of dozens of Cathay Pacific flights in early September may have led to “serious damage,” according to the results of a Hong Kong investigation published on Thursday.
Hong Kong-based Cathay Airlines has briefly grounded its fleet of Airbus A350 aircraft for inspections and repairs after a Zurich-bound plane was forced to return to the Chinese city on September 2.
Inspections found that components needed to be replaced on 15 of the 48 aircraft in the Airbus A350 fleet, which are powered by engines from British manufacturer Rolls-Royce.
In a report on Thursday, Hong Kong investigators said a post-flight inspection of the Zurich-bound plane found that the fuel hose had been ruptured, as evidenced by a “clear hole”, burn marks and “black soot observed on the rear of the main engine.”
The report by the Air Accidents Investigation Bureau said fuel may have leaked through the broken hose, starting a fire that would have spread to surrounding areas.
“If this situation is not detected and addressed immediately, it could escalate into a more serious engine fire, which could cause significant damage to the aircraft,” the company said in a statement, describing the incident as “serious.”
Five additional fuel hoses on the Zurich-bound plane — which were manufactured in 2019 — were also found to have “deteriorated metal braids or collapsed structures,” the agency said.
To address this issue, the American Aeronautical Association recommended that the European Aviation Safety Agency require Rolls-Royce to “develop ongoing airworthiness information, including but not limited to secondary fuel hose inspection requirements” for the affected engines.
A spokesman for the organization said the initial report, issued on Thursday, “should be considered preliminary.”
The Cathay incident prompted other airlines in Asia to conduct similar checks on the A350-900 and A350-1000, which are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 and XWB-97 engines.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has also imposed inspections on A350-1000 aircraft as a “precautionary measure,” noting that there are 86 of the aircraft in service worldwide.
However, it said mandatory inspections of Airbus A350-900 engines were “not warranted at this stage”.
Qatar Airways is the largest operator of the A350-1000, with 24 in its fleet, followed by Cathay Pacific and British Airways, which each have 18.
Airbus and Rolls-Royce have previously said they are cooperating with Cathay, but were unable to comment further pending the investigation.
Last November, Emirates CEO Tim Clark expressed concerns about the durability and longevity of the Airbus A350’s engines.
Rolls-Royce has defended its Trent XWB-97 engines and said it is taking steps to improve their durability.
data sheet: Stay on top of the latest technology business news with thoughtful analysis of the biggest names in the industry.
Register here.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.