What happened
On 16 November 2001, an Airbus A321-231, registration G-OJEG, was performing a scheduled public transport flight from Luton to Tenerife. This flight marked the first departure following the installation of a recently refurbished No. 1 engine. Following a technical log entry, the crew utilized TOGA thrust for the takeoff.
As the aircraft reached rotation, an ECAM Master Warning alerted the crew to low oil pressure in the No. 1 engine. This was immediately followed by a loud bang and a physical jolt to the airframe. The pilot observed declining engine parameters and, perceiving a severe surge, instructed the first officer to retard the No. 1 engine thrust lever. The crew then executed the required ECAM procedures for engine severe damage. Due to the nature of the malfunction, the commander diverted the aircraft to London Stansted Airport, choosing it over Luton for its longer runway. The landing was completed without further incident, and there were no injuries to the 9 crew members or 220 passengers.
The investigation
Investigators analyzed data from the Quick Access Recorder (QAR), which corroborated the crew's account. The data showed that after the initial low oil pressure warning, the N2 speed decreased while the Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) rose sharply from 510°C to 810°C within 46 seconds, until the engine was secured.
Following the landing, passengers reported seeing a bright orange flame emanating from the engine intake. A physical inspection of the engine jetpipe revealed significant metallic debris, though the failure was contained and no external damage to the aircraft was found. No evidence of birdstrike or foreign object damage was identified. The engine was subsequently removed for a detailed examination by the manufacturer.
Findings
- The engine sustained extensive internal damage, including the disruption of downstream stages of the high pressure compressor.
- Evidence indicated the occurrence of a titanium fire.
- Heat damage was present on the high pressure and low pressure turbine blades and vanes, alongside damage to the No. 4 bearing compartment.
- The specific initiating event for the failure remained undetermined at the time of the report.