AN AIRBUS 310 IN CRUISE AT FL310 EXPERIENCED SUDDEN #2 ENG FAILURE DUE TO TOWER SHAFT BEVEL GEAR FAILURE.

Date: 1999-03 · Aircraft: A310 · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-maintenance|other-engine-failure

Synopsis

AN AIRBUS 310 IN CRUISE AT FL310 EXPERIENCED SUDDEN #2 ENG FAILURE DUE TO TOWER SHAFT BEVEL GEAR FAILURE.

Narrative

LOUD 'POP' HEARD; VIBRATION FELT; #2 ENG FAILED. COMPLIED WITH ECAM PROCS; COMPLIED WITH QRH CHKLIST PROCS; ALL THE WHILE DSNDING INTO BOI. DECLARED EMER; LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT BOI. LATER; ON THE GND; STARTED CHKING WHAT COMMERCIAL CHARTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR OTHER ARPTS. FOUND OUT THAT I ONLY HAD BOI AND SLC FOR THAT IMMEDIATE AREA. ABOUT 1/2 HR EARLIER; WE HAD CROSSED OVER PIH. HAD THE FAILURE OCCURRED SOONER; I MIGHT HAVE HAD TO DIVERT THERE (NEAREST SUITABLE) YET WE DON'T HAVE COMMERCIAL CHARTS FOR IT OR CPR OR CYS WHICH WERE ALL ALONG THE RTE OF FLT AND ARE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. I THINK FOR FLTS INTO THIS SECTION OF THE COUNTRY; THAT WE SHOULD BE ISSUED THESE CHARTS. TRYING TO GET WX; RWY; APCH INFO FROM ATC IS ASKING FOR A LITTLE MUCH WITH SO MANY OTHER CONSIDERATIONS. I WILL SUBMIT A RPT TO MY COMPANY WITH THIS SUGGESTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS AN AIRBUS 310 PWRED WITH GENERAL ELECTRIC CF-6 ENGS PURCHASED FROM A FOREIGN CARRIER. THE RPTR SAID THE FOREIGN CARRIER DID NOT ACCOMPLISH THE ENG MANUFACTURER'S SVC BULLETIN ON THE TOWER SHAFT LOWER BEVEL GEAR REPLACEMENT. THE RPTR STATED THIS LOWER BEVEL GEAR FAILED CAUSING THE N2 ROTOR SHAFT TO BE DECOUPLED FROM THE GEAR BOX WHICH SHUT DOWN THE ENG. THE RPTR SAID THE PRESENT OWNER WAS NOT AWARE THE SVC BULLETIN WAS NEVER ACCOMPLISHED UNTIL THIS FAILURE. THE RPTR STATED THAT ALL AIRBUS 310 ACFT WITH CF-6 ENGS ARE TO BE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE IF THE SVC BULLETIN HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. THE RPTR SAID THE PROB BECAME ACUTE WHEN NO CHARTS WERE SUPPLIED BY THE COMPANY FOR THE MOUNTAINOUS RTE BEING FLOWN.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.