Incident Overview

Date: Sunday 29 March 1981
Aircraft Type: Boeing 707-329
Owner/operator: Sobelair
Registration Number: OO-SJA
Location: Brussel-Zaventem Airport (BRU) – ÿ Belgium
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 117
Component Affected: Engine compressor (specifically, the 10th stage fan blade).Engine compressor (specifically, the 10th stage fan blade).
Category: Accident
Sobelair flight OO1915 experienced a catastrophic engine failure during ascent, resulting in a fire and subsequent landing deviation. The initial explosion caused a rapid fire in the engine, which was extinguished with multiple bottles but failed to control the blaze. The pilot initiated a landing onto runway 25R after overshooting the centerline, and subsequent thrust reversal and deceleration actions led to the aircraft’s damage and withdrawal from service.Sobelair flight OO1915 experienced a catastrophic engine failure during ascent, resulting in a fire and subsequent landing deviation. The initial explosion caused a rapid fire in the engine, which was extinguished with multiple bottles but failed to control the blaze. The pilot initiated a landing onto runway 25R after overshooting the centerline, and subsequent thrust reversal and deceleration actions led to the aircraft’s damage and withdrawal from service.

Description

Sobelair flight OO1915 took off from runway 02 at Brussel-Zaventem Airport (BRU), Belgium at 09:29 local time. As the airplane was climbing through an altitude of 7000 feet there was a violent explosion in the no. 3 engine. An uncontained failure had caused a fire in the engine. The first extinguishing bottle was fired, but to no avail. The fire finally went out after the second bottle was fired. The crew returned to the airport and were cleared for an emergency approach to runway 25L. While turning onto finals, the airplane overshot the extended centreline of runway 25L. The captain then decided to land on runway 25R. After touchdown the thrust reversers of engine no. 1 and 4 were activated and wheel brakes were used to decelerate. The pilot was afraid that the aircraft couldn’t be stopped on the runway and steered the Boeing off the left side of the runway. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and withdrawn from use at Brussels. The engine failure was attributed to a fatigue failure of a fan blade of the 10th stage of the compressor. Probable cause of the accident (translated from French): During an emergency landing on three engines, at a weight above the maximum landing weight, the aircraft landed at a high speed and the brakes were not used properly.

Primary Cause

Fatigue failure of a fan blade in the 10th stage of the compressor.Fatigue failure of a fan blade in the 10th stage of the compressor.

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