Introduction
On 6 June 2022, an Air Arabia scheduled passenger flight from Chittagong to Abu Dhabi, operating as ADY062, experienced a serious incident. The aircraft, an Airbus A320-214 registered as A6-AOT, was cruising at Flight Level 340 when the crew observed high N1 vibrations followed by the failure of Engine #1.
History of Flight
The flight departed Chittagong Airport at 1237 UTC with two pilots, four cabin crew, and 140 passengers. The captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer was the pilot monitoring. The flight was conducted under instrument flight rules.
During cruise at FL340, the crew noted high N1 vibrations. Subsequently, Engine #1 failed. The crew performed ECAM actions and declared a MAYDAY. They diverted the aircraft to Ahmedabad, where it landed safely at approximately 1545 UTC. No injuries to crew or passengers were reported, and no damage to the aircraft or ground property occurred.
Aircraft and Engine Information
The aircraft was an Airbus A320-214, manufactured in France, owned by Wilmington Trust Company, and operated by Air Arabia. It was equipped with two engines. The investigation focused on the low-pressure turbine (LPT) of Engine #1. Maintenance records and engine teardown inspection were conducted.
Engine Failure and Investigation
The investigation determined that the engine failure resulted from a fatigue crack that originated from a pitting corrosion pit on the leading edge of an LPT rotor blade. The crack propagated under cyclic loads, leading to blade failure and subsequent engine malfunction.
Probable Cause
The serious incident is attributed to failure of LPT rotor blade due to fatigue crack initiation from the pitting corrosion pit on the leading edge of the blade.
Conclusion
The crew's prompt actions and adherence to emergency procedures ensured a safe diversion and landing. No further safety recommendations were made in the report.