Incident
On November 28, 2010, at about 06:00 Japan Standard Time (JST), Evergreen International Airlines flight EIA238, a Boeing 747-200F cargo aircraft registered N482EV, departed from Chubu Centrair International Airport. While climbing through 1,100 meters altitude, the flight crew observed increased vibrations originating from the number 2 engine, a Pratt & Whitney JT9D turbofan. The crew responded by shutting down the affected engine and initiating a return to the departure airport. The aircraft landed safely at approximately 07:14 JST. None of the three crew members reported any injuries.
Inspection
A post-flight boroscope inspection conducted on December 1, 2010 discovered severe damage to the low pressure turbine blades of the number 2 engine.
Investigation
The Japanese Transportation Safety Board (JTSB) is investigating the incident. The JTSB, under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, is headquartered in Tokyo and can be contacted at 2-1-2, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8918, Japan.