History of the Flight
On 27 September 2016, Etihad Airways flight EY450, a Boeing 777-3FXER registered as A6-ETL, was scheduled to operate a commercial passenger flight from Abu Dhabi International Airport (OMAA) to Kingsford Smith Airport (YSSW) in Sydney. The aircraft carried 352 persons: 335 passengers, two flight crew, two augmenting flight crew, and 13 cabin crew. At approximately 1130 LT, the flight departed from runway 13R.
Nose Gear Tire Tread Separation and Engine Failure
During the takeoff roll, shortly after rotation, the flight crew heard a loud bang accompanied by a high exhaust gas temperature reading from the No.1 engine. An 'L ENG FAILURE' message appeared on the Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS). The No.1 engine automatically shut down. The takeoff continued, and the aircraft was trimmed and controlled by the crew. The autopilot was engaged at approximately 400 feet above ground level. The takeoff distance covered was 2,920 meters, with 1,180 meters of runway remaining.
Return and Landing
Following the engine shutdown, the Commander declared a MAYDAY and decided to return to Abu Dhabi International Airport. Air traffic control acknowledged the declaration and alerted the airport rescue and firefighting services. A runway inspection revealed tire debris on runway 13R, which was communicated to the flight crew. The crew identified a nose landing gear problem and were uncertain about its condition. They performed the engine failure and landing checklists and landed safely at 1203:44 LT. Rescue and firefighting personnel found no signs of fire. Passengers and crew disembarked using stairs at doors R1 and R2.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the incident was caused by the shedding of the No.1 nose wheel tire tread due to contact with foreign object debris. Subsequently, the No.1 nose wheel tire debris was ingested by the No.1 engine, leading to its failure. No injuries were reported.