What happened
During the climb phase at an altitude of 18,000 feet, the flight crew experienced a sudden explosion. This event resulted in the immediate loss of the number 3 and number 4 engines. Upon inspecting the aircraft, the crew observed that the propellers and parts of the gearboxes had been detached from the engines.
Following the initial loss, the crew noted erratic indications on the number 2 engine and subsequently performed a shutdown of that engine as a precaution. The flight crew declared an emergency and successfully completed an emergency landing. Following the incident, a search for the missing components was conducted, but the gearboxes and propellers were not recovered from the Caribbean Sea.
Findings
- The aircraft suffered the loss of two engines and significant portions of the propeller gearboxes due to an explosion.
- The loss of engine components occurred while the aircraft was maintaining an altitude of 18,000 feet.