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Airplane Engine Covering Falls Off During Takeoff (VIDEO)
A passenger filming out an airplane window captured part of an engine cowling ripping off during takeoff on a flight in Brazil. Watch above to get an idea of how the terrified passengers – who later described the event as an "engine explosion" – must have felt watching the parts fly off. According to an incident report on The Aviation Herald, it all happened on a TAM Airlines Airbus A320-200 traveling from Natal to São Paulo on Saturday, May 19. There were 166 people on board, many of whom you can hear hurriedly asking questions and yelling during the video. According to the Herald, both the inboard and outboard fan cowl doors of the left engine opened in flight and "were ripped off." Stay tuned until 1:54 to see the extent of the damage. In the end, the pilot managed to return to the airport in Natal without any further problems – but the passengers sure did get a scare.
Filed under: South America, Brazil
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Chef Greg May 23rd 2012 8:09PM
Umm. Having your cell phone or electronics on does not cause an engine access panel to come off. Someone just forgot to clip the latch tight or tighten the screws...not good.
It looked like the guy recording was trying to get out at the exit door...yea, good idea in flight, or is he a Darwin Award candidate?
I was landing with in a commercial aircraft and it was obvious a former air craft carrier pilot reversed with so much throttle we had wiplash. When I passed by her at the exit door when we were deplaning, I said "M'aam, the runway is 2 miles long so we wouldnt need to worry about swimming today" She blushed and knew I knew she knew I knew ... the captain got all defensive and I said its all good...pilots are people too.
Weirdracin May 23rd 2012 10:15PM
Maybe he already had a chute on?
Ya i know his phone wouldnt cause it, but wheres the flight attendents to bug him to turn it off?
Think Alec Baldwin should use this Air service, more relaxed on cell phone usage lol.
john May 23rd 2012 9:17PM
what is wrong with this guy? he runs over to the plane exit? yea go ahead buddy open that door!
chris May 23rd 2012 10:20PM
Like the previous poster noted, your car can drive without a hood as long there is no excess moisture. The cowling covers are more for aerodynamic purposes
musomesa May 23rd 2012 10:43PM
True but the question arises -- it they did not check that the cowling covers were secure what else did they not check?
G2G May 24th 2012 4:44AM
Piss-poor, pilot preflight walk-around. And as funny as most of the comments are about having electronics on, those devises have little effect on an engine cowling, or on the aircraft for that matter. AIrcraft electraonics/avionics today are adequately shielded from the low amout of "EMI". Studies have shown that our hand-held devices don't put out enough power to affect the on-board systems of current generation aircraft. Blah-blah-blah.
patrick May 24th 2012 11:05AM
Well just so you guys don't have a coronary... Notice the little smiley at the end. A bit of tongue in cheek here.
Lighten up Francis
Ray May 24th 2012 11:55AM
All the people that think it is no big thing if engine cowling ripps off, probably never been on an airplane when something like this happened. You saw the metal flapping back and forth, it could have slashed a fuel , or oil line and there could have been a fire. A couple years ago a bird hit an airplane engine in New York, and it landed in the Hudson River. When airplanes are going 400+ mph the air can pick things apart. Tornados produce winds of 200 mph, and look at the destruction they do. I hope the pilot turned back for the safety of the passengers, and for the safety of those who don't think it is a big thing.