OT: Freaky ****. United flight loses engine. A miracle that plane didn’t go down.

[OriginalCanesCanesCanes]

I have been a commercial pilot for one of UAL's competitors for 25 plus years. The plane is designed to fly with one engine, so while it is an emergency it is trained for all the time. I'm sure it got the pilots attention but after the 1st min or so tasks were divided up ( 1 flies and talks to ATC and one secures the engine and runs the checklists) after that it is a trip around the pattern to come back and land. 777 came out in the early to mid 90's and is a great jet but sometimes things break.

That engine was still running though. It was still spinning and providing thrust.

I’m wondering why they didn’t shut it down and just fly in on the other engine.

I’m not an aeronautical or aircraft engineer, and I’m not a pilot, just a customer that flies a lot, but that thing is shaking and shimmying like it could break off.

Just wondering your thoughts on it since you’re an actual pilot.

 

[JD08]

That engine was still running though. It was still spinning and providing thrust.

I’m wondering why they didn’t shut it down and just fly in on the other engine.

I’m not an aeronautical or aircraft engineer, and I’m not a pilot, just a customer that flies a lot, but that thing is shaking and shimmying like it could break off.

Just wondering your thoughts on it since you’re an actual pilot.

It looks like the engine itself was mostly still there, it was the nacelle that fell apart.

 

[OriginalCanesCanesCanes]

It looks like the engine itself was mostly still there, it was the nacelle that fell apart.

Right the engine is still functioning but the entire cover is gone whatever it’s called nacelle, cowling, whatever.

Bear in mind, I’m speaking as a non-pilot and a layman, basically only just a consumer of airline services, that’s the extent of my flight knowledge, other than obviously understanding the principles of aerodynamics and the actual principle of flight.

I know nothing about actual flight procedures, what’s good on that engine, what isn't, etc.

But, just to me, common sense tells me that that whole engine covering/contraption is there for a reason, and I would think one of those reasons is to protect the engine from the huge forces of the air pushing on it.

I mean the engines are covered for a reason aren’t they? That plane is flying at least, what? 300/400/500 miles an hour. The incredible forces of the air pushing on that naked engine as it flies through the air would seem like to me, to not be conducive to that engine staying functional or even staying on the wing. You see what I’m saying?

I’m just spitballing here, but obviously they cover those engines with those contraptions for a reason, they are not meant to fly through the air like that.

At least the struts and the parts holding the engines onto the wing, and the outside of the engine, aren’t meant to withstand those forces, and that’s why they’re covered, I guess.

I do understand that the air does ram through the center hole of the engine and that’s part of the reason why it spins and it works I guess.

So I understand the engine can handle, and the turbines can handle that, but I would think it’s dangerous to subject the fittings and the other things to that type of shaking that would be created by just the naked application of flying through the force of an air at that speed.

it’s just curiosity on my part. Being as that I do fly a lot. And I’ve got several big trips planned over the next few months, including some long haul over the ocean, 12+ hour flights.

 

[SWFLHurricane]

A lot of people found religion at that moment.

I wear Rosary Beads...A St. Christopher Medallion, and a Big *** Star of David when I fly.....CaneinOrlando pretty much leaves no religion unaccounted for....

 

[OriginalCanesCanesCanes]

I wear Rosary Beads...A St. Christopher Medallion, and a Big *** Star of David when I fly.....CaneinOrlando pretty much leaves no religion unaccounted for....

Always smart to cover all your bases.

 

[JD08]

Right the engine is still functioning but the entire cover is gone whatever it’s called nacelle, cowling, whatever.

Bear in mind, I’m speaking as a non-pilot and a layman, basically only just a consumer of airline services, that’s the extent of my flight knowledge, other than obviously understanding the principles of aerodynamics and the actual principle of flight.

I know nothing about actual flight procedures, what’s good on that engine, what isn't, etc.

But, just to me, common sense tells me that that whole engine covering/contraption is there for a reason, and I would think one of those reasons is to protect the engine from the huge forces of the air pushing on it.

I mean the engines are covered for a reason aren’t they? That plane is flying at least, what? 300/400/500 miles an hour. The incredible forces of the air pushing on that naked engine as it flies through the air would seem like to me, to not be conducive to that engine staying functional or even staying on the wing. You see what I’m saying?

I’m just spitballing here, but obviously they cover those engines with those contraptions for a reason, they are not meant to fly through the air like that.

At least the struts and the parts holding the engines onto the wing, and the outside of the engine, aren’t meant to withstand those forces, and that’s why they’re covered, I guess.

I do understand that the air does ram through the center hole of the engine and that’s part of the reason why it spins and it works I guess.

So I understand the engine can handle, and the turbines can handle that, but I would think it’s dangerous to subject the fittings and the other things to that type of shaking that would be created by just the naked application of flying through the force of an air at that speed.

it’s just curiosity on my part. Being as that I do fly a lot. And I’ve got several big trips planned over the next few months, including some long haul over the ocean, 12+ hour flights.

I got what you were after, I was just saying it's not necessarily a crucial part of the machine.

Kind of like your car can drive without a hood, fenders and bumper cover, but if you found yourself in that situation, you probably wouldn't want to take a long drive on I95. Not to mention the damage that must have happened when parts fly off and hit other parts at several hundred miles an hour.

 

[Echtcane]

interesting to see how many folks are spooked about flying ... and how few are spooked about getting hit on the ground by falling debris.

People in this neighborhood might be a little spooked.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/20/us/united-airlines-flight-returns-debris/index.html

 

[Empirical Cane]

Watch this video from inside the plane. The whole engine cowling is gone, that’s basically the inside of the jet engine you’re looking at, vibrating and shaking, it’s a miracle it didn’t fall off or completely break apart, bringing down the plane with it.

Live Updates: United plane’s engine explodes after takeoff from DIA; debris falls from sky

Large chunks of metal rained down on northwest Denver metro neighborhoods Saturday afternoon after a United Airlines plane reported engine trouble.

kdvr.com

Look at this enormous piece of the outside of the engine that tore off and landed in somebody’s front yard.


View attachment 143742

Fortunately the plane landed safely back in Denver
.

Now that is what we would call an IFE.

Good on aircrew for safely landing the aircraft.

 

[M.Hendrix]

That engine was still running though. It was still spinning and providing thrust.

I’m wondering why they didn’t shut it down and just fly in on the other engine.

I’m not an aeronautical or aircraft engineer, and I’m not a pilot, just a customer that flies a lot, but that thing is shaking and shimmying like it could break off.

Just wondering your thoughts on it since you’re an actual pilot.

The engine was shut down I promise.

 

[Dwinstitles]

View attachment 143750
This did it for me. Tho I fly alot now a days. Flying to Hollywood, FL around this time next month. ✈

safe trips dog

 

[CINCYCANESFAN]

I'm flying down Friday to siesta key, I'm not watching the video lol

 

[OriginalCanesCanesCanes]

The engine was shut down I promise.

Yeah I make no claims whether it was or if it wasn’t shut down, I was just referring to that video, it was still spinning, still running. Maybe that video was right after it happened before they shut it down, I just don’t know.

Again speaking as a lay person, I have no real frame of reference because I don’t have any experience flying a plane obviously, but even so, it would seem logical to shut down an engine that looked like that, at least to these untrained eyes.

 

[M.Hendrix]

Yeah I make no claims whether it was or if it wasn’t shut down, I was just referring to that video, it was still spinning, still running. Maybe that video was right after it happened before they shut it down, I just don’t know.

Again speaking as a lay person, I have no real frame of reference because I don’t have any experience flying a plane obviously, but even so, it would seem logical to shut down an engine that looked like that, at least to these untrained eyes.

I understand, but that would be shut down immediately. The plane is at cruising speed I would assume so you are at 300+ mph I would say. The fan will still turn, they turn on the tarmac from a light breeze. That fan was no doubt damaged from debris getting sucked through but appears mostly in tact although definitely no longer balanced.

 

[OriginalCanesCanesCanes]

I understand, but that would be shut down immediately. The plane is at cruising speed I would assume so you are at 300+ mph I would say. The fan will still turn, they turn on the tarmac from a light breeze. That fan was no doubt damaged from debris getting sucked through but appears mostly in tact although definitely no longer balanced.

I see what you’re saying, that makes sense that the fans would still spin since air is being forced through them at hundreds of miles per hour.

Can you just explain to me why the back of the engine is still on fire? I mean if you can even tell from that video why it would be. Is somehow fuel still being injected into the engine causing that?

 

[M.Hendrix]

Also like to point out that Boeing doesn’t make or maintain any of the engines. Most common practices today for commercial airlines, they lease the engines and they are maintained by the manufacturers. IE Rolls Royce , GE , etc

 

[M.Hendrix]

The fuel is shut off. We have seen a case once that a sensor malfunction was showing fuel was shut off but it was actually still pumping fuel. It resulted in a fire. Hard to say, but that was a catastrophic failure on an older aircraft. And lots of wiring and hydraulics that would burn as well

 

[JD08]

Also like to point out that Boeing doesn’t make or maintain any of the engines. Most common practices today for commercial airlines, they lease the engines and they are maintained by the manufacturers. IE Rolls Royce , GE , etc

I should be offended that you left off Pratt & Whitney since they paid for a good part of my UM education.

 

[M.Hendrix]

I should be offended that you left off Pratt & Whitney since they paid for a good part of my UM education.

That was included in the etc part . We only have 2 options to date on the model built at the facility I am at, Rolls and GE. I have spent a lot of time across the street from P&W at the drag strip though

 

[Cryptical Envelopment]

I work in aviation. The engine wasn’t going to fall off. Lol scary stuff though. Can’t wait to hear the cause..

Exactly. Thank you for being the voice of reason. And planes can fly just fine for a good long bit with one engine. That's why the FAA approved twin engine long-haul aircraft post-747.

 

[JD08]

That was included in the etc part . We only have 2 options to date on the model built at the facility I am at, Rolls and GE. I have spent a lot of time across the street from P&W at the drag strip though

Me too! But not since I got my new car. Been meaning to because I know I can get in the 12's.