Fire in GE Aviation-made jet engine under investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a Sept. 8 fire that damaged a GE Aviation-made jet engine.

The board is joined by the Federal Aviation Administration, The Boeing Company and GE Aviation in looking at what wrong on the British Airways flight at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

The engine fire occurred during takeoff and led to 157 passengers being evacuated, according to the safety board.

An initial examination of the left engine revealed multiple breaches of the engine case in the area around the high pressure compressor and several pieces of the high pressure compressor spool were found on the runway, according to examiners.

“While areas of the high pressure compressor case were breached and pieces of the HPC spool were found outside the engine, it is still too early in the investigation to know the root cause and sequence of events that led to the damage to the aircraft and engine,” reads a statement provied by Evendale-based GE Aviation.

“GE is fully supporting the ongoing investigation of the aircraft and engine, and the anticipated removal and full teardown of the left engine.”