What happened
On August 12, 2008, a Japan Air Commuter flight scheduled from Osaka International Airport to Kagoshima Airport was in the middle of its takeoff roll on Runway A when the aircraft's number one engine began producing abnormal noises. Simultaneously, the engine experienced a significant loss of power. The flight crew immediately responded by deciding to reject the takeoff, bringing the Bombardier DHC-8-402, registration JA848C, to a halt on the runway. There were 68 people on board the aircraft, including 63 passengers and five crewmembers, and no injuries were reported during the incident.
The investigation
Investigators from the Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) conducted a detailed examination of the engine's internal components. The investigation involved a full engine disassembly and borescope inspections to identify the source of the failure. The team analyzed data from the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVARG), alongside Engine Condition Trend Monitoring (ECTM) data. The inspection focused on the High Pressure Turbine (HPT) and Low Pressure Turbine (LPT) sections to determine how the mechanical failure progressed during operation.