Originally Posted by
Turbine D
Except for the DC-10 over New Mexico where a CF6 fan blade was liberated and exited forward, walked up the fuselage, broke a window and the passenger was sucked out with his remains never to be found. . .
Well, not quite.
The original CF6 fan assembly was secured together by the spinner, which physically retained the blades in their dovetail slots.
In the above case (a colleague was an investigator on the case) the #3 engine fan case got into a standing wave vibration (like a rung church bell) that scrubbed the fan blade tips a couple times each revolution; this overcame the centrifugal force holding blades in the fan disc. Each time the blade tip scrubbed, aero load on each blade pushed the blade forward a fraction of a millimeter, breaking the spinner loose, and eventually each blade traveled completely free of the disc. #3 fan blades flying every which direction.
One traveled completely under the fuselage to strike the #1 engine accy gearbox. It's fuel pump disabled, that engine flamed out.
Another blade was swallowed by the #2 engine, which coughed and grumbled, but kept running.
Yet another blade hit the RH cabin window at row 10, which depressurized the cabin. The unlucky pax exited via the window.
The aircraft (N60NA, "Barbara") landed at nearby ABQ without further damage.
All of which has virtually nothing to do with the present A330/Trent case.