This Happens How???

[Lastplaneout]

Troubles for Kalitta Air. Funny ...Yes
Dangerous....Yes

MIA: cargo plane loses engine in flight

Thu Oct 21, 1:51 PM ET Offbeat - AFP



CHICAGO (AFP) - Federal aviation officials were searching for an engine that fell off a Boeing 747 cargo plane in mid-flight, possibly over Lake Michigan in the Great Lakes region, officials said.


AFP/File Photo



The Kalitta Air jet was en route from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport when the pilot radioed air traffic controllers to alert them to mechanical problems Wednesday.


Controllers instructed the pilot to make an emergency landing in Detroit, Michigan, officials with the Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites) said.


It was only at that point that officials realised that the jet had not suffered engine failure, but that one of its four engines had physically disappeared, an FAA (news - web sites) spokeswoman said.


The National Transportation Safety Board (news - web sites) and the FAA are collaborating to find the errant engine, which officials suspect may have ditched in the drink.


Lake Michigan, approximately 118 miles wide and 925 feet deep a its deepest point, is the second-largest Great Lake. It separates Michigan from Illinois, which is home to Chicago.

[land_shark3]

alert them to mechanical problems

Yes, I would call that a small mechanical problem.

Good thing it was over water and not a populated city! Imagine the passengers sitting from the wing back when that happened.

[Lastplaneout]

There were no passengers...Kalitta does cargo only

[semitruths]

I've been trying to find some more info on that story .... like what time did it arrive at Detroit Metro?? I was there for a short time Thursday.

[land_shark3]

There were no passengers...Kalitta does cargo only

Well that's no fun.

[land_shark3]

The mystery has been solved.

From this thread, I found this picture.

Must be one of Shane's friends.

[rednekkPH]

That's the natural selection process just begging to begin...

[tommcat327]

shoulda used more zip ties to hold it on

[nycparrothead]

That's the natural selection process just begging to begin...

I hate it when people are talking about me and work won't let me see the picture that is referring to me. Judging by the link though, I'd say I'm in agreement with you guys.

[msu#1]

The next day they found a dead Dominican in the wheel well of a plane that came from Miami, that set off a big debate about security, if someone can climb into the well whats to stop them from putting a bomb in there.

[chalksoperations]

This happens on account of the 747 having 3 fuse pins holding the engine to the pylon, 2 midspar and 1 on the aft diagonal brace. It is engineered this way so if one engine FOD's out or experiences severe dynamic imbalance, the fuse pins will shear sparing the other engines and fuel cell, allowing the aircraft to remain horizontal with the earths surface. If the engine separated, there is a good chance it did exactly what it was designed to do, barring any pylon corrosion or anything as was the case with JAL up in Achorage a while back.

On your next off day, head over to the Jack Hunt library and read about that JAL flight, also Northwest at Narita. They had to two midspar fuse pins shear upon landing at Narita in '94, allowing the leading edge of #3 to fall to the runway, grinding away as the landing roll continued. These are two of the best examples I can think of where the fuse pins took center stage during any incident / accident.