Scary engine failure LGA-IAH - 23 Oct. 2018.
Oct 23, 2018, 9:54 am
#16
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: KEWR
Programs: Marriott Platinum
Posts: 794
Without getting too overly technical, turbine engines operate by air entering in the front, mixing with fuel in the middle, and being forced out the back creating thrust. Compressor stalls happen when there is a disruption of airflow into a turbine engine which effects the fuel/air mixture causing a small “explosion” within the internal sections of the motor.
If something obstructs the airflow (birds, extreme precipitation, wind flow, etc.) the appropriate balance of fuel to air is changed and the engine reacts with a bang. The pragmatic approach when something like this happens is to immediately reduce power on the affected engine thus reducing the fuel until the proper air/fuel balance is reestablished and evaluate the condition of the engine with the instrumentation.
There are are situations which a compressor stall is more likely to occur (crosswind takeoffs, engine start with a tailwind, heavy precipitation) and techniques are performed to minimize this from occurring but there is no preventative checklists like what we have for other events.
Hope this helps.
If something obstructs the airflow (birds, extreme precipitation, wind flow, etc.) the appropriate balance of fuel to air is changed and the engine reacts with a bang. The pragmatic approach when something like this happens is to immediately reduce power on the affected engine thus reducing the fuel until the proper air/fuel balance is reestablished and evaluate the condition of the engine with the instrumentation.
There are are situations which a compressor stall is more likely to occur (crosswind takeoffs, engine start with a tailwind, heavy precipitation) and techniques are performed to minimize this from occurring but there is no preventative checklists like what we have for other events.
Hope this helps.
Last edited by clubord; Oct 23, 2018 at 10:02 am
Oct 23, 2018, 10:09 am
#17
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SEA, SFO, PRG
Programs: UA 1k, Delta Gold
Posts: 77
High-power setting compressor surge create loudest bangs and most violent vibrations, since the whole thrust is gone in a second and rotational moment is trying to dissipate through the body of aircraft.
Oct 23, 2018, 10:43 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,460
Without getting too overly technical, turbine engines operate by air entering in the front, mixing with fuel in the middle, and being forced out the back creating thrust. Compressor stalls happen when there is a disruption of airflow into a turbine engine which effects the fuel/air mixture causing a small “explosion” within the internal sections of the motor.
If something obstructs the airflow (birds, extreme precipitation, wind flow, etc.) the appropriate balance of fuel to air is changed and the engine reacts with a bang. The pragmatic approach when something like this happens is to immediately reduce power on the affected engine thus reducing the fuel until the proper air/fuel balance is reestablished and evaluate the condition of the engine with the instrumentation.
There are are situations which a compressor stall is more likely to occur (crosswind takeoffs, engine start with a tailwind, heavy precipitation) and techniques are performed to minimize this from occurring but there is no preventative checklists like what we have for other events.
Hope this helps.
If something obstructs the airflow (birds, extreme precipitation, wind flow, etc.) the appropriate balance of fuel to air is changed and the engine reacts with a bang. The pragmatic approach when something like this happens is to immediately reduce power on the affected engine thus reducing the fuel until the proper air/fuel balance is reestablished and evaluate the condition of the engine with the instrumentation.
There are are situations which a compressor stall is more likely to occur (crosswind takeoffs, engine start with a tailwind, heavy precipitation) and techniques are performed to minimize this from occurring but there is no preventative checklists like what we have for other events.
Hope this helps.
^
Oct 23, 2018, 10:49 am
#19
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: UA 1K, LH FT, Marriott Plat, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PPlus
Posts: 72
Without getting too overly technical, turbine engines operate by air entering in the front, mixing with fuel in the middle, and being forced out the back creating thrust. Compressor stalls happen when there is a disruption of airflow into a turbine engine which effects the fuel/air mixture causing a small “explosion” within the internal sections of the motor.
If something obstructs the airflow (birds, extreme precipitation, wind flow, etc.) the appropriate balance of fuel to air is changed and the engine reacts with a bang. The pragmatic approach when something like this happens is to immediately reduce power on the affected engine thus reducing the fuel until the proper air/fuel balance is reestablished and evaluate the condition of the engine with the instrumentation.
There are are situations which a compressor stall is more likely to occur (crosswind takeoffs, engine start with a tailwind, heavy precipitation) and techniques are performed to minimize this from occurring but there is no preventative checklists like what we have for other events.
Hope this helps.
If something obstructs the airflow (birds, extreme precipitation, wind flow, etc.) the appropriate balance of fuel to air is changed and the engine reacts with a bang. The pragmatic approach when something like this happens is to immediately reduce power on the affected engine thus reducing the fuel until the proper air/fuel balance is reestablished and evaluate the condition of the engine with the instrumentation.
There are are situations which a compressor stall is more likely to occur (crosswind takeoffs, engine start with a tailwind, heavy precipitation) and techniques are performed to minimize this from occurring but there is no preventative checklists like what we have for other events.
Hope this helps.
Oct 23, 2018, 11:05 am
#20
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: KEWR
Programs: Marriott Platinum
Posts: 794
Oct 23, 2018, 11:56 am
#23
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA GS 1MM, CM PP
Posts: 689
If anyone's curious, here is the flightradar view of the flight:
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/f...ua657#1e4fbfd2
Looks like it happened about 4 minutes after takeoff. I tried to pinpoint any tower comms on liveatc but haven't had any luck so far.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/f...ua657#1e4fbfd2
Looks like it happened about 4 minutes after takeoff. I tried to pinpoint any tower comms on liveatc but haven't had any luck so far.
Oct 23, 2018, 12:02 pm
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: NY
Programs: AA: ExPlat & 3MM; UA: 1k; KL: Plat 4 Life; Hyatt: Plat; SPG, Marriott, Hilton: Gold
Posts: 2,708
Oct 23, 2018, 12:43 pm
#25
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,844
Oct 23, 2018, 9:35 pm
#27
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Somewhere I've Driven To
Programs: HiltonHonors, IHG Hotels, DL Skymiles
Posts: 2,070
deleted......someone beat me to it (versus Hudson River).
Oct 24, 2018, 4:41 am
#29
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Morris County, NJ
Programs: UA 1K/*G, Avis Pres, Marriott Plat
Posts: 2,305
Coming into EWR yesterday on a 752, it was a crystal clear day. On final, I was amazed by just how many birds I saw near us on approach. Many more than usual.
Obviously that’s always a concern, but given the season, and their migratory nature, I’d think the risk is greatly increased.
Could they have ingested a bird yesterday?
Obviously that’s always a concern, but given the season, and their migratory nature, I’d think the risk is greatly increased.
Could they have ingested a bird yesterday?
Oct 24, 2018, 7:32 am
#30
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,923
Friend A: what's the fastest way from (airport) to (some part of NYC, I forget)
Friend B: at that hour? Miracle on the Hudson followed by ferry rescue.
