What happened
On 24 May 2013, an Airbus A319-131, registration G-EUOE, departed from London Heathrow Airport bound for Oslo. Shortly after takeoff from Runway 27L, the fan cowl doors from both engines detached from the aircraft. The loss of these components caused significant secondary damage to the airframe, including impacts to the slats, flaps, and fuselage skin.
During the climb, the flight crew experienced engine thrust control degradation, a fuel leak, and the loss of the yellow hydraulic system. The crew declared a PAN and elected to return to Heathrow. During the approach to Runway 2HM, an external fire ignited on the right engine. Although the crew discharged both engine fire extinguisher bottles and shut down the right engine, the fire was not immediately extinguished. The aircraft landed safely on Runway 27R, and the 75 passengers and 5 crew evacuated via the left-side escape slides without any injuries.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation established that the aircraft had undergone scheduled maintenance the previous night, which required opening the fan cowl doors on both engines to check oil levels. Examination of the aircraft revealed that the inboard and outboard fan cowl doors on both engines had been left unlatched.
Investigators found that the detached doors struck various parts of the aircraft, including the landing gear, wing leading edges, and the horizontal stabiliser. The right engine sustained extensive fire damage, and a fuel pipe was punctured by a remaining piece of the inboard fan cowl. Photographs taken prior to pushback showed that the doors were unlatched on both engines.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was that the fan cowl doors on both engines were left unlatched during maintenance.
- The detached doors caused a puncture to a fuel pipe on the right engine, leading to a significant fuel leak.
- The loss of the doors resulted in widespread mechanical damage to the aircraft's slats, flaps, and fuselage skin.
- The engine fire was triggered by the impact of the detached components on the engine's structure and fuel lines.
Safety action
- Safety Recommendation 2013-011: It is recommended that Airbus formally notifies operators of A320-family aircraft regarding this event and reiterates the necessity of verifying that fan cowl doors are properly closed and latched.