Air France 777 - Engine failure over the ocean
 

Last Saturday an Air France 777 (F-GSPE) had an engine failure over the Atlantic (passengers said there was an explosion and high vibration) and landed at Fortaleza, Brazil. However until yesterday the airplane was at Fortaleza replacing its left engine....
Does anybody have any information about this incident?

6+ hours into the CRZ a very big bang followed by heavy vibration and the engine ran down. The aircraft diverted to FOR/SBFZ.
The inlet guide vanes very heavily damaged but not sure if thats the cause or effect, lots of loose material under the cowls and I believe damage to the horizontal stab from departing material.:ooh:
Edited to state engine type before someone asks......... GE90-90b

where was the plane bound?

Do we know if they were ETOPS at the time?

ACARS said this:

F-GSPE (B777 AFR) 0446 20031123 AF0337 (Boston-Paris/CDG)

So that means it was outbound from CDG to wherever its destination was.

How'd it explode?

Henry

Well yes, probably. But engines, especially the most modern ones like the GE90, dont usually just go bang do they?

Henry

But they still can go bang...
Remember the A330 Edelweiss? Not a GE90 but still big.

Maybe retaliation because a french journalist saw the shoot at the DHL :suspect:

I heard that it was en route to GRU/GIG - finding oneself off the coast of Brazil on a flight from CDG to BOS would suggest that navigation was not quite what it should have been!

Hey,

Sorry but the timing of the BOS-CDG run seems to suggest that it arrived early morning, then went off again.

The schedule for GRU/GIG is as follows:

CDG GRU 2315 0810* AF 454 (772)

CDG GIG 1320 2205 AF 442 (772)

Probably GIG then?

Henry

Boston to Paris and they landed in Brazil after engine failure? That doesn't add up.

Six hours into flight suggests a diversion to the cape verde islands
or onwards to where they eventually landed.At least air france
have the bunks fitted where they should be,on the flight deck,
unlike the shortsighted goons at BA !

Notso Fantastic
That was fabulous!You have a lovely sense of humour!It made my day.
CB

Me too, NsF, been chuckling all morning.....!

Just in case you still dont understand.

GSPE ARRIVED (as in landed and taxied to its gate) in CDG at whatever hour, lets say 5am from Boston on that morning.

Then, at arround 1320 it DEPARTED (whoosh) to some Brazilian destination.

Henry

Hey,

Dont worry it's cool. I was just trying to contribute to the topic. Have we heard anything more of the incident?

Henry

Bit more info............. 6+ hrs out then the 'event', followed by 2hrs 30 mins single engine ops. .................or should that be oops!:p

Hey NotsoFantastic.

Your panning link shows a B777 cockpit in flight, but NO ONE AT THE CONTROLS!

Now how did they do that?

I know a passenger on this flight, AF 442 CDG to GIG. There wasn't anything too dramatic. Nothing to suggest explosion or fire, although the Brazilian press reported this. Later on, one of the cabin crew said that the fire extinguishers had been activated(?). Some very strong vibrations and there were a few odd noises. After a few minutes, the engine was shut down. Speed dropped from c 580mph to 400mph, and altitude fell from 35000 to about 22000. After that it was fairly smooth flying for about 2 hours over the Atlantic to Fortaleza. Landing was perfect. No signs of emergency crews.

In a seprarate incident a couple of weeks ago, a British Airways 777 en route from Heathrow to Chicago was diverted to Dublin with reported engine failure.

So whats going on? First BA now AF! Is this something that is going around.

Does anyone know what happening?

Seconding A.Pendings question

2 GE90 engined 777's have failures in the same week..... Any information as to the cause of failure? I'd have thought that 777 drivers would have been more vocal looking for answers.

BTW

Have you seen how many widebodies Boeing have sold this year?

Orders through December 2, 2003 (from boeing web site)
747 3
757 -1
767 10
777 3
Total 15

Sorry 767 should read + 100 (20 sales 80 leased) from a buyer named corporate welfare USA. :ok: