ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 370260
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| Date: | Saturday 31 March 2007 |
| Time: | 09:27 LT |
| Type: |  Learjet 60 |
| Owner/operator: | Jet Solutions LLC |
| Registration: | N244FX |
| MSN: | 60-178 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 6631 hours |
| Engine model: | Pratt & Whitney Canada PW305A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | Palm Springs, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Santa Ana-John Wayne International Airport, CA (SNA/KSNA) |
| Bedford-Hanscom Field, MA (BED/KBED) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The airplane experienced an in-flight fan blade separation in the left engine, a Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) PW305A turbofan, while in cruise flight at FL 410 near Palm Springs (PSP), California. The airplane diverted to PSP for an overweight, single-engine landing without further incident. The examination of the engine revealed that one fan blade was fractured transversely across the airfoil adjacent to the blade root platform. Metallurgical examination of the fan blade revealed that the blade had separated from a fatigue fracture. A fluorescent penetrant examination of the fan blades from both engines revealed numerous fan blades had crack indications. Some of the blades were broken open to reveal fatigue cracks similar to that noted on the fractured blade. A dimensional inspection of the cracked fan blades revealed that they were under the minimum thickness in a highly stressed area of the airfoil. The investigation determined that the fan blades were too thin due to an improper forging die setup when the blades were manufactured. At the time the fan blades were made, PWC did not require a dimensional inspection of the fan blade airfoils.
Probable Cause: The fatigue fracture of the fan blade due to the blade vendor's improper setup of the forging dies, which resulted in fan blades with airfoils that were below the minimum thickness in the highest stressed area of the airfoil and resulted in operating stresses that exceeded the material's capability. Contributing to the incident was the engine manufacturer's lack of a dimensional inspection of the fan blade's airfoil.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ENG07IA018
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Mar-2024 08:49 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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