What happened
On March 24, 2015, an Embraer 170-100, registration SP-LDE, operated by PLL LOT S.A., experienced an engine incident during the initial phase of takeoff from runway 29 at Warsaw Chopin Airport (EPWA). While the crew was setting engine power, a loud bang was heard. The first officer, acting as the pilot flying, immediately initiated a rejected takeoff. The aircraft subsequently returned to the parking stand.
Following the event, maintenance personnel performed a borescope inspection of the number 2 engine. The inspection revealed damage to the 4th and 5th stages of the High Pressure Compressor (HPC), specifically involving damaged vanes at the 4th stage and damaged rotating blades at the 5th stage. As a result, the engine (ESN 193385) was removed and replaced, and the aircraft was withdrawn from service.
The investigation
The investigation focused on determining the mechanical cause of the compressor damage and evaluating the engine's operational parameters. The technical examination confirmed that the internal damage was the result of physical contact between moving and stationary components within the compressor assembly.
Findings
The investigation established that the primary cause of the incident was contact between the compressor rotor blades and the high-pressure compressor stator blades. This contact was triggered by the failure of a stator element due to material fatigue.