Thomas Cook holiday plane engine failure at Manchester after 'blade fell off'
An investigation into a Thomas Cook plane's engine failure upon takeoff at Manchester Airport has revealed it was caused by a blade falling off.
The air accident report also reveals "unidentified deposits" were found on the surface of the fractured blade, which are still being analysed.
The A330 jet, which was destined for the Dominican Republic, was speeding down the runway on 24 June when the engine suddenly failed.
The 325 passengers and 11 crew on board heard a loud bang before the pilot brought the jet to an emergency stop on the runway.
Fire crews raced to the scene, and passengers returned to the terminal.
According to the Aviation Writer, the runway was temporarily closed, with some flights diverted to Liverpool John Lennon Airport as a result. Thomas Cook organised a replacement Airbus A330-200, which departed five hours after the initial incident.
According to the Manchester Evening News, the report from the Air Accident Investigation Bureau said: "Inspection of the right engine revealed there had been a failure of a single HP turbine blade which had detached, resulting in a high power engine surge and further secondary damage..."
The report added: "Laboratory analysis of the fractured blade root found multiple crack initiation locations cause by sulphidation corrosion.
"In addition, unidentified deposits were present on the surfaces of the blade remains which are the subject of ongoing analysis by the manufacturer."
A Thomas Cook Airlines spokesman said: "Following the replacement of the engine on the aircraft we continue to work with our engine manufacturer on their investigation into the cause of the fault."
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