JAL 747 ingests cargo container

[Sarah C]

"A Japan Airlines flight has been grounded at Los Angeles airport after a large object was sucked into one of the plane's engines, officials say.

They say the incident happened as JAL flight 62 was leaving one of the airport's gates.

Television footage showed the object - believed to be a cargo container - wedged into the engine.

All 245 passengers on board were taken off the plane and escorted to the terminal. No injuries were reported.

Los Angeles World Airports, the agency which operates the airport, says an investigation is currently under way."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8045086.stm

It reminds me of the (in)famous Delta photo!

[Gerard M]

Would that sort of accident leave the engine with much damage?

[NickN]

Yes. Big square metal objects weren't designed to go through jet engines, nor were jet engines designed to eat them.

[Greg McDonald]

Wonder if it was a load of Sushi....

[NickN]

If it wasn't before it is now, those fan blades would have sliced it nice and thin.

[Bill S]

Would that sort of accident leave the engine with much damage?

Likely to have no damage to the engine at all, as the container can't get far enough in to hit the blades - but the inlet cowling will have a new nasty dents & scratches.

[Rhys Xanthis]

Will the internals be damaged because of a lack/disruption of airflow?

Or is that not a problem, even at full thrust (which this wasn't)

[Gerard M]

http://media.smh.com.au/national/breaking-news/plane-sucks-up-luggage-container-515030.html

Just saw this video. Looks like the offending container is a LAN Cargo container.

[Grahame Hutchison]

Unless it was extremely windy, how could a container get out to that location - they don't have wheels.

[Bill S]

Will the internals be damaged because of a lack/disruption of airflow?

Or is that not a problem, even at full thrust (which this wasn't)

It'd only be at idle so not a problem.



Unless it was extremely windy, how could a container get out to that location - they don't have wheels.

Yeah most likely very windy - I've had that happen once in Jeddah, when a front of severe weather came through and the airport was utter shambles for an hour. We had the runway changed and when crossing from one side to the other (16C to 34L) we saw a heap of containers strewn around all over the place, some still moving. We managed to avoid them and get out of there.
(Jeddah and places like that have an unusual effect on the V1 speed/decision speed for takeoff - You reach V1 as soon as you leave the hotel. ;) )

[Philip Argy]

What indication would the flight crew have had to warn them of the ingestion assuming that the no 1 engine is not in your normal field of vision?

The 3AW listener suggested that the first warning to the flight crew was police cars that were sent to prevent the a/c from taxiing onto the runway.

Is it plausible that if no-one had noticed the problem the a/c could have commenced (or even completed) a takeoff run with the container lodged in the intake cowling, assuming that the penetration was not deep enough to make contact with the fan blades?

Where were FODbusters when they were needed:
http://www.fodcontrol.com/

[Rhys Xanthis]

Given the completely implausible situation that it got to the runway without anyone noticing anything, surely the flight crew would know soon enough with speed being slower?

[NickN]

Can an idle turbofan engine ingest a ULD? You would think there wouldn't be enough airflow into the engine at idle to suck it in.

[Philip Argy]

Perhaps on taxi, especially if there's a right turn, engine no 1 might develop enough thrust to suck in a container. Perhaps the B747 pilots on the Board could tell us.

[NickN]

If the engines are spooling up they would be able to I'd assume.

[Bill S]

What indication would the flight crew have had to warn them of the ingestion assuming that the no 1 engine is not in your normal field of vision?

Yes you can, but only just ->

http://www.billzilla.org/747window.jpg


As mentioned above if they were turning right, it's not uncommon to have a bit more thrust on the outside engine to help the plane get around the corner.



Can an idle turbofan engine ingest a ULD? You would think there wouldn't be enough airflow into the engine at idle to suck it in.

Yep.

[Nigel C]

You wouldn't catch me standing anywhere near the front of a jet engine, especially one with an intake big enough to stand in!

Here's why http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_wticWfA4Q