BMI engine fails
Taken from the Northern Echo 23/08/06
'Miraculous' escape on flight to London
A PILOT narrowly avoided disaster last night when a jet's engine failed seconds before take-off.
Passengers described how the pilot slammed on brakes to abort the flight as sparks sprayed from the damaged engine.
Kevin Wilson, the chairman of the Master Photographers Association who was on the flight from Durham Tees Valley Airport, said: "It was a miraculous escape. We are very, very lucky the plane had not lifted off.
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"If it had, the pilot told us, the aircraft would not have been able to sustain itself."
The drama began as a BMI flight to London, with about 50 people on board, was about to take off at 6.30pm.
Mr Wilson said: "The aircraft was accelerating and was building up to maximum revs for take-off when I heard a loud explosion.
"I saw a shower of sparks flying over the wing from the engine, as the pilot jammed on his brakes.
"I couldn't see smoke, but could smell it."
The aircraft was then surrounded by fire engines, which doused the engine with foam.
Mr Wilson said: "There was oil all over the runway. The passengers were evacuated by steps brought to the aircraft and led to the perimeter."
He added: "The pilot came up to us and explained that, although it was an emergency, he had not used the chutes as he had everything under control and didn't want to risk anyone breaking their limbs."
A spokesman for the airport said alternative flight arrangements would be made for the passengers.
The runway was reopened once the oil was cleared, and no other flights were disrupted, he said.