"Ah, you might wanna check out the hole in the engine"
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: MSP
Posts: 239
"Ah, you might wanna check out the hole in the engine"
http://www.startribune.com/local/41836157.html
Northwest Airlines passenger Brandon Snetsinger said he was "just flying along above the clouds" when he heard "a thud."
"I looked out my window and noticed the hole in the engine," said Snetsinger, who today recounted his hastily reconfigured trip from the Twin Cities to Phoenix on Monday and can count a photograph he took of the hole among his travel souvenirs.
Snetsinger, of Greenfield, said he waited a moment or two after the thud, but "with nobody from the flight crew doing anything different, I called for the flight attendant. She called the captain, and he came back to look.
"He walked a lot faster back to the cabin than he did to come check it out."
Flight 121 was diverted to Denver, where the 165 passengers were put on a different plane later that day.
The airline said the hole was in the left engine inlet of the twin-engine Boeing 757-200.
"The left engine inlet has been replaced, and the aircraft is back in service," NWA spokeswoman Leslie Parker said today. The damaged part is being examined by engineers to determine how the hole was made, said Parker, who added that the engine "remained fully functional" the entire time..
"I looked out my window and noticed the hole in the engine," said Snetsinger, who today recounted his hastily reconfigured trip from the Twin Cities to Phoenix on Monday and can count a photograph he took of the hole among his travel souvenirs.
Snetsinger, of Greenfield, said he waited a moment or two after the thud, but "with nobody from the flight crew doing anything different, I called for the flight attendant. She called the captain, and he came back to look.
"He walked a lot faster back to the cabin than he did to come check it out."
Flight 121 was diverted to Denver, where the 165 passengers were put on a different plane later that day.
The airline said the hole was in the left engine inlet of the twin-engine Boeing 757-200.
"The left engine inlet has been replaced, and the aircraft is back in service," NWA spokeswoman Leslie Parker said today. The damaged part is being examined by engineers to determine how the hole was made, said Parker, who added that the engine "remained fully functional" the entire time..
Last edited by cjheck; Mar 25, 2009 at 4:22 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: IND
Programs: Marriott Platinum, SWA CP
Posts: 577
Well, technically...
The photograph actually shows a hole in the nacelle, not the engine. Not a major issue in and of itself, but there was probably a bit of concern about what caused the hole. If an engine component broke free and caused the damage, it could be quite worrisome...
#3
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Atlanta
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Silver, Starwood Platinum
Posts: 3,656
Kudos to the pax that reported the issue.
#4
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Gotham City
Programs: Rapid Rewards, Skymiles, HHonors, Amex MR; Browns, Cavs, Indians, and Buckeyes Season Ticket Holder
Posts: 2,027
i like the photo's caption
Hole in engine
#6
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,151
#8
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: ORD, MKE
Programs: UA, AA, Hilton and regular member of everything else
Posts: 1,332
Wow, I wouldn't want to see plane parts disappearing on any of my flights! Glad nothing more serious happened.
#9
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: ORD, MKE
Programs: UA, AA, Hilton and regular member of everything else
Posts: 1,332
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: Fallen Plats, ex-WN CP, DYKWIW; still a Hilton Diamond & Club Cholula™ R.I.P. Super Plats
Posts: 25,415
Maybe the guy out on the wing was searching for the QRS 11 GyroChips, sensitive military technology that is known -- according to retired NW pilot Field McConnell -- to result in Boeing aircraft thus equipped being vaporized in mid-flight (skip to section 27 / page 8 of the linked page for the interesting stuff).
Last edited by MikeMpls; Mar 26, 2009 at 8:44 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: SAN
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 428
At least I now know why I keep my camera conveniently located in my under-seat bag. Must be a little scary to see/feel that happen.
#12
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: KY, USA
Programs: DL Diamond
Posts: 22
wow what a great clip. seems so strange to see someone with a gun on a plane...
#13
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 18
Don't you think William Shatner would have been better off pulling out his Star Trek Phaser?
#14
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Various CRCs
Programs: Red Sox Nation
Posts: 288
^
Just wait until Spiff sees this and "explains" why it was stupid to report it as the chances of the plane actually crashing due to this small hole are infinitesimal and all the pax accomplished by reporting this was a delay of everyone's arrival at the final destination.
Just wait until Spiff sees this and "explains" why it was stupid to report it as the chances of the plane actually crashing due to this small hole are infinitesimal and all the pax accomplished by reporting this was a delay of everyone's arrival at the final destination.