Incident Overview
On December 17, 2009, a Boeing B747-200F freighter, registered as 9V-JEB and operated by Jett8 Cargo, experienced an in-flight emergency shortly after departure. While climbing through approximately 7,000 feet, the No. 4 engine, a General Electric CF6-50, suffered an uncontained failure of its low-pressure turbine (LPT). The flight crew commanded an engine shutdown and initiated an air turn back to Singapore Changi Airport.
Post-Event Inspection
Following a safe landing, a post-event inspection of the aircraft revealed significant damage. Impact damage was found on the lower right-hand (RH) wing and pylon, the aft RH cargo door, and the vertical stabilizer. Examination of the No. 4 engine showed that all components aft of the S3 nozzles were missing. The engine's aft section had separated during the failure.
Investigation
The incident is under investigation by Singapore's Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), with Mr. Chow Wan Chong serving as the Investigator in Charge. The AAIB is responsible for determining the circumstances surrounding the uncontained engine failure. No injuries were reported among the crew or ground personnel.
Aircraft and Operator
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 747-200F, a freighter variant of the classic 747 series, powered by four General Electric CF6-50 engines. At the time of the incident, it was operated by Jett8 Cargo, a Singapore-based cargo airline.