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NTSB Allows Coloradoans to Collect Small Debris from United Flight 328

In the aftermath of the engine explosion from United Airlines Flight 328, investigators are asking the public not to call in reports of small debris off the aircraft. Instead, they are allowing the public to keep any small items they find, and asking to assistance in finding anything the size of a computer monitor or larger.

When an aircraft incident takes place, one of the first things investigators look for are recognizable debris from the aircraft. In the case of United Airlines Flight 328, the National Transportation Safety Board says they are only looking for items the size of a computer monitor or larger. Denver CBS affiliate KCNC-TV reports locals who are collecting small items from the troubled flight will be allowed to keep them.

Police Receive Over 100 Calls About Aircraft Debris After United Flight 328

In the hours and days since the Boeing 777 operating as United Flight 328 returned to Denver International Airport (DEN), the public went to work on finding everything that make it to the ground from the flight. While police and the NTSB collected the larger parts, local authorities say they received over 100 calls about smaller items found from the aircraft.

Now, the local police are asking the public not to call them over smaller items that may have belonged to the engine. Instead, the NTSB is only looking for specimens larger than a standard computer monitor. The agency is also looking for anything recognizable from the aircraft, including pieces that have the airline name, or serial and part numbers engraved on them.

“It’s a very unusual call for us, we were startled just like everyone else on Saturday,” Rachel Welte, public information officer for the Broomfield Police Department, told KCNC-TV. “Our residents are absolutely amazing, they have been so helpful in getting out and aiding us in the search.”

If Denver area residents find a large piece of debris, they are asked not to handle it, but call the police on a non-emergency line instead. The public is welcome to any smaller parts they find which may have belonged to the aircraft.

Fractured Fan Blades Could be to Blame for Engine Explosion

Although the NTSB investigation continues, preliminary discoveries are focused on the Pratt & Whitney PW4077 engine fan blades. An initial exam of the engine found one blade broken at the root, another broken mid-span, and a portion of a blade imbedded in the containment ring. The next steps of the investigation will focus on structures, powerplants, operational factors and maintenance records.

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Feature image courtesy: NTSB/Flickr/Public Domain