Event
The aircraft experienced an in-flight failure of its right engine while climbing through 19,000 feet. The loss of a blade from the fourth stage turbine wheel, attributed to metal fatigue, led to varying degrees of damage throughout the engine and caused an automatic shutdown. The flight, which had departed Dallas, Texas, only 19 minutes prior, returned to the airport, where a single-engine landing was accomplished without incident.
Examination
Post-incident examination of the failed blade revealed that the metal fatigue originated from excess porosity present during the casting process. The blade had accumulated approximately 400 hours of operation before failure. The manufacturer acknowledged that the imperfection should have been identified by their inspection procedures and the blade rejected before installation.