What happened
On December 1, 2005, at approximately 16:45 JST, a Skymark Airlines Boeing 767-30 and registration JA767B departed Kagoshima Airport. Shortly after rotation, the crew noticed significant vibrations originating from the right engine. Within three minutes of takeoff, a fire warning was triggered for the same engine.
In response to the emergency, the flight crew shut down the right engine and initiated an immediate return to the airport. The aircraft successfully performed a single-engine landing at Kagoshima at 17:04. While there were no injuries among the 90 people on board, the aircraft sustained minor damage, and fragments from the engine caused a fire in the grass area adjacent to the runway.
The investigation
The Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) conducted an extensive examination of the engine and aircraft components. The investigation involved a teardown of the CF6-80C2 engine and metallurgical analysis of various parts. Investigators focused on the condition of the High Pressure Turbine (HPT) blades and the integrity of the fuel supply system.
Technical research included examining the internal cooling passages of the turbine blades and investigating the fracture of a fuel supply tube. The investigation also reviewed maintenance records, engine washing standards, and the physical condition of the engine's core cowl and fire detection loops.