Serious incident Airbus A319-132 N814AW,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 370463
 
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Date:Friday 2 November 2001
Time:09:34 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic A319 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Airbus A319-132
Owner/operator:America West Airlines
Registration: N814AW
MSN: 1281
Year of manufacture:2000
Total airframe hrs:4798 hours
Engine model:IAE V2524-A5
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 89
Aircraft damage: None
Category:Serious incident
Location:Midland, TX -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:Houston-George Bush Intercontinental Airport, TX (IAH/KIAH)
Destination airport:Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport, AZ (PHX/KPHX)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The transport airplane was in cruise flight at flight level 390 for 12 minutes when they received an "engine oil filter bypass" fault message on the engine centralized aircraft monitoring (ECAM) system; however, all of the engine parameters remained within limits. Subsequently, the oil pressure indication for the #1 (left) engine rose into the red band and a "high vibration and a thumping sound" was felt and heard. The flight crew then declared an emergency and diverted to another airport. The captain reported that during the landing roll, he moved both throttle levers into reverse, and simultaneously the cockpit and cabin began to fill with smoke. Air traffic controllers reported they observed white smoke emanating from the #1 engine during the landing roll. The captain stopped the airplane on the high-speed taxiway, turned off both engines, and an emergency evacuation ensued. The 1L and 2L doors were operated normally; however, the 1R door jammed when the flight attendant attempted to open it. Examination of the 1R door actuator and slide did not reveal the reason it failed to operate. Examination of the engine revealed that debris contamination of the #3 bearing initiated spallation of the bearing's outer ring raceway. Cyclic loading from the bearing balls passing over the growing raceway spall resulted in extensive fretting of the outer diameter surface of the outer ring, from which a fatigue crack was initiated. High-cycle fatigue progression radially through the outer ring was followed by rapid fracture and subsequent liberation of the outer ring fragments. The debris contamination more than likely came from the high-pressure compressor (HPC) stubshaft coating, which was liberated and entered the #3 bearing area causing it to fracture, and the engine to lose power. Research revealed this was one of five similar occurrences, which was traced down to a change in the manufacture process for the HPC stubshaft coating. The manufacturer has taken actions to alert operators of the existing problem.

Probable Cause: the #1 engine's fatigue failure of the #3 bearing due to the manufacturer's inadequate design of the high-pressure compressor stubshaft coating, which resulted in a loss of engine power and an emergency landing.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: FTW02IA027
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 3 years 1 month
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB FTW02IA027

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
25-Mar-2024 11:00 ASN Update Bot Added

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