Qantas A380 uncontained #2 engine failure

[Lonewolf_50]

The fact that the error was not detected in the normal course of manufacture does not imply that corrections to the aircraft systems are appropriate. The rule is “if it aint broke don’t fix it.” In my opinion, this accident does not indicate a problem with the design of either the aircraft or the engine, but is only a manufacturing issue.

If the root cause is that cracked oil tube, I find myself in rough agreement, without the "only" modifier. "Accident does not indicate a problem with the design of either the aircraft of the engine, but is a manufacturing issue." (Exceptions in a moment.)

Manufacturing process issue: when performing a counterbore, ensuring concentricity, true center, etc, are within tolerances and comply with blueprint specifications is a place for RR to sort some things out.

If the tubes aren't cracking when the counterbore is correctly made, then design probably isn't the problem.

There is room for the aircraft manufacturer, however, to review

• the problems with engine control from the cockpit,
• fuel transfer,
• flight control control systems & hydraulic systems

to see if there is a means to mitigate those losses. Any such mod is potentially expensive, and doubtless involves yet another engineering or performance trade off.

From the post a few up, the crew being unable to dump/transfer fuel thanks to collateral damage is troubling. It may be beyond the capacity of aerospace plumbing to modify/revise/improve the fuel transfer or dump interlocks and protection to allow for a way around that. And they were unable to shut down an engine from the cockpit. Also discomforting.

Maybe one could complain about the "design" of the fuel management system as a whole, in that there wasn't a way for the crew to work around their failures and be able to offload some of that extra weight before landing.