Turbine Blade Failure Causes Engine Shutdown During Climb (N7351F)

What happened

Shortly after lift-off, while climbing through approximately 150 feet above ground level (AGL), the flight crew experienced a loud noise originating from the left engine. This noise indicated an immediate failure of the left engine. The aircrew responded by securing the affected engine and initiating a return to the airport. They successfully completed a single-engine landing without any further complications or incidents.

The investigation

An examination of the failed left engine revealed that a first-stage turbine blade had fractured. The detached blade was subsequently ingested into the remainder of the turbine assembly, causing catastrophic internal damage and leading to the in-flight shutdown.

Findings

The primary factor contributing to the event was the mechanical failure of the first-stage turbine blade within the left engine. This component failure resulted in the ingestion of debris into the turbine section, which necessitated the immediate shutdown of the engine during the critical climb phase after takeoff.