What happened
On July 26, 2011, a Boeing 747-230F, registration 4X-ICO, was performing an initial climb from Liège Airport (LGG) in Belgium. When the aircraft reached approximately 1,000 feet above the ground, the crew heard a loud bang originating from the No. 2 (inboard left) GE CF6-5E2 turbofan engine.
Following the noise, the crew observed a reduction in N2 (low pressure rotor speed) and a sharp increase in EGT (exhaust gas temperature). In response to the engine malfunction, the crew shut down the engine, dumped fuel, and returned to Liège Airport to land. There were no injuries resulting from the event.
The investigation
An initial inspection of the No. 2 engine revealed the presence of metal debris in the engine tailpipe, consisting of fractured pieces of turbine blade and vane material. The investigation into the incident is being conducted under the jurisdiction of the Israeli Ministry of Transport, with assistance requested from the NTSB.