Engine failure spurs Boeing 777 groundings in U.S. and Japan

Bloomberg News
Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021 7:54 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021 7:54 p.m.

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AP

A Boeing 777X airplane takes off on its first flight with the Olympic Mountains in the background at Paine Field in Everett, Wash.

Japan ordered a halt to all flights of Boeing Co. 777s equipped with the engine that failed Saturday over Denver as U.S. aviation regulators ordered emergency inspections of the model’s fan blades.

Japan’s transport ministry on Sunday ordered ANA Holdings Inc. and Japan Airlines Co. to ground Boeing 777 planes they operate following an engine failure that rained debris over a Denver suburb but injured no one. ANA operates 19 planes and JAL 13 with similar engines that failed on United Airlines plane in Denver.

The U.S. carrier involved in Saturday’s incident, United Airlines, said it will voluntarily halt operations of 24 of its planes while the FAA order is carried out.

Flight 328 @united engine caught fire. my parents are on this flight ?? everyone’s okay though! pic.twitter.com/cBt82nIkqb

— michaela? (@michaelagiulia) February 20, 2021

Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ordered inspections after examining the hollow fan blade that failed, the agency said in an emailed statement Sunday evening. The inspections apply to Boeing 777s equipped with PW4000 engines made by Raytheon Technologies Corp.’s Pratt & Whitney division.

PHOTOS: After a United Airlines Boeing 777 airplane experienced a right engine failure yesterday, parts from the plane fell over a Broomfield neighborhood and Broomfield Commons Park. No injuries were reported. https://t.co/UhexVzC427 pic.twitter.com/GAq8lW2Yxx

— The Denver Post (@denverpost) February 21, 2021

FAA Administrator Steven Dickson said the aggressive inspections “will likely mean that some airplanes will be removed from service.”

A Japan Airlines 777-200 with Pratt & Whitney engines suffered a similar failure on Dec. 4.

“After consulting with my team of aviation safety experts about yesterday’s engine failure aboard a Boeing 777 airplane in Denver, I have directed them to issue an Emergency Airworthiness Directive that would require immediate or stepped-up inspections of Boeing 777 airplanes equipped with certain Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines,” Dickson said in an emailed statement.