What happened
During the early morning departure of a charter flight from Manchester to Corfu, the crew of a Boeing 737 began its takeoff roll on runway 24. Approximately twelve seconds after reaching eighty knots, the flight crew heard a loud thud. In response, the captain ordered an immediate abort, reducing thrust and applying braking. The aircraft reached a maximum speed of 126 knots before decelerating.
As the aircraft slowed to 85 knots, the captain notified air traffic control that the takeoff was being abandoned due to a fire in the number one engine. An intense fire had developed on the left side of the aircraft, causing structural damage such as melting windows and smoke entering the rear cabin. During the deceleration, the crew initiated an evacuation via the starboard side.
After the aircraft came to a complete stop, the crew attempted standard emergency procedures, including shutting down the number two engine. However, the captain observed fire and fuel spreading toward the front of the aircraft. While passengers successfully utilized the overwing exits and several doors, the evacuation of the right forward door was delayed because the escape slide container jammed against the doorframe. Despite these obstacles, 78 survivors managed to exit the aircraft through various doors and overwing exits.
Findings
Investigations determined that the incident was triggered by an uncontained failure of the left engine, specifically originating from a failure in the number 9 combustor can. A piece of the combustor can was ejected with enough force to strike and break an underwing fuel tank access panel, leading to the fire. The intensity of the fire was worsened by the aircraft's orientation relative to the wind.
Several contributing factors were identified, including the susceptibility of wing tank panels to impact and the lack of effective systems for managing large-scale cabin fires. Furthermore, the toxic smoke produced by burning interior materials played a critical role in the event, as the dense, irritating atmosphere led to rapid passenger incapacitation.