What happened
On May 9, 2009, an MD-82, registration I-DACY, was preparing for a flight from Rome Fiumicino to Naples. During the takeoff roll on runway 25, fragments of the number 1 left main gear tire detached and were ingested by the left engine. This ingestion caused a compressor stall at approximately 200 feet of altitude. The crew declared an emergency and performed a return to Fiumicino, landing on runway 16L. There were no injuries among the 127 passengers and 5 crew members.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation focused on the origin of the tire damage. Investigators found that the aircraft had been leaving abnormal tire marks on taxiway "NG" prior to takeoff. The investigation also identified two other aircraft, an A319 (EC-KBJ) and an A320 (EC-KLB), which had experienced nearly identical damage to their left main gear tires while using the same taxiway during the same period.
Physical examination of the I-DACY revealed significant damage to the left engine's first-stage compressor, the engine cowling, and the air intake. The left main gear tire showed signs of severe thermal and physical stress, consistent with operating at near-zero inflation pressure. The investigation also noted that maintenance work was underway on nearby taxiways, which could have introduced foreign object debris (FOD) or affected pavement quality.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine failure was the ingestion of tire fragments into the left engine.
- The tire fragmentation was caused by FOD present on taxiway "NG", which punctured the tire during taxiing.
- The continued taxiing of the aircraft after the initial puncture led to the rapid deflation and subsequent disintegration of the tire during the high-speed takeoff roll.
- A lack of systematic recording of the type of FOD found during airport cleaning prevents the identification of the specific source of the debris.
Safety action
- The ANSV recommended that airport operators implement procedures to systematically record the type of FOD recovered during inspections to help identify and eliminate its source.