What happened
On March 18, 2020, a Vietnam Airlines Airbus A321, registration VN-A392, was performing flight VN920 from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh. During the takeoff roll, as the aircraft reached a speed between 100 and 120 knots, the crew experienced a loud explosion originating from the right side of the airframe. This event caused the aircraft to veer toward the right side of the runway. Following established procedures, the captain initiated a rejected takeoff, successfully bringing the aircraft to a halt on the runway.
Following the stop, the crew followed ECAM instructions, which included shutting down the number two engine and deploying a fire extinguisher to the engine compartment. All passengers were evacuated via ladder trucks and returned to the terminal without no injuries reported. Local airport authorities secured the site and collected debris immediately following the event.
The investigation
CAAV investigators arrived at the scene to gather evidence and secured both the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder for analysis. The investigation involves international cooperation with the NTSB (USA) and the BEA (France), representing the engine and aircraft manufacturers respectively.
As part of the technical inquiry, two fragments from the high-pressure turbine (HPT) first-stage disc were sent to Pratt & Whitney for metallurgical examination. While the investigation is ongoing, preliminary assessments by the NTSB and Pratt & Whitney suggested a manufacturing anomaly within the HPT first-stage disc. The engine manufacturer completed a final metallurgical investigation report on the fragments in May 2021.
Findings
Initial inspections confirmed that the number two engine sustained significant damage. While the final report is still being drafted, the investigation has focused on the structural integrity of the HPT components.