x
Breaking News
More () »

Jet That Caught Fire At O’Hare Had Engine Failure

CHICAGO, Ill (CBS News) — Mechanical debris was found scattered thousands of feet away from the spot where an American Airlines jet aborted takeoff and ca...
American Airlines Jet Fire

CHICAGO, Ill (CBS News) — Mechanical debris was found scattered thousands of feet away from the spot where an American Airlines jet aborted takeoff and caught fire Friday at O’Hare International Airport, a federal investigator said today, Saturday (Oct. 29).

National Transportation Safety Board Senior Investigator Lorenda Ward, blamed the incident on an “uncontained engine failure” but stressed the investigation is in its early stages.

Lorenda Ward NTSB

All 161 passengers and nine crew exited AA Flight 383 after the incident, around 2:30 p.m. Friday, and 20 people were taken to hospitals for minor injuries. All were released as of Saturday, Ward said.

Ward said the jet stopped 3,000 feet short of the runway’s end.

A fuel fire erupted under the right wing, though it did not breach the interior, she said.

The right engine was the one that had the failure.

Debris from a turbine was found in at least two places, including a portion that was recovered nearly 3,000 feet away at a UPS warehouse, Ward said.

Another fragment was found about one-third of a mile away on airport property, the investigator said.

The debris and flight recorders are being shipped to NTSB laboratories, Ward said.

The O’Hare runway was closed to traffic.

Before You Leave, Check This Out