An further incident for a carrier already under investigation for a string of flying accidents this year occurred when a United Airlines Holdings Inc. jet returned to a Connecticut airfield after losing part of a liner from within the engine's cover.
An further incident for a carrier already under investigation for a string of flying accidents this year occurred when a United Airlines Holdings Inc. jet returned to a Connecticut airfield after losing part of a liner from within the engine's cover.
The crew of an Airbus SE A320 aircraft noticed a "abnormal noise" as it took off from Hartford's Bradley International Airport on its way to Denver International on Thursday morning, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration.
A fragment of a "sound-dampening outer liner" under the cowling was discovered on the runway upon landing, according to a second statement from United. The FAA said it will look into the incident and there were no injuries.
The FAA has been reviewing the airline's safety protocols after a number of mishaps, such as a wheel breaking off a jet after takeoff and a piece of fuselage coming free in midair. When a panel disembarked from an Alaska Airlines aircraft in January, the US aviation sector as a whole came under increased scrutiny.
The most recent United mishap involved a 22-year-old aircraft. Even though the incident's origin was initially unknown, problems with older aircraft are often isolated and may not indicate systemic difficulties or manufacturing flaws.
An online recording of the plane's talks with the airport control tower revealed that the aircraft lost many sheet metal parts during takeoff that were collected off the runway, and further debris came off after landing.
When the debris was first reported to the tower by the captain of a nearby JetBlue Airways Corp. aircraft, the tower was forced to reroute some aircraft to other runways. The United pilot reported to the tower that he was worried they may have struck a bird or blown a tire before takeoff since one of the engines' exhaust gas temps was somewhat higher than usual.
"We have to declare an emergency," the pilot from United remarked. "Everything is operating as it should; the engine is within its limits."
The aircraft, which landed and taxied to an airport gate, had 124 passengers and 5 crew members.
Due to the FAA's investigation, United's certification efforts have been restricted, so limiting the carrier's expansion. United said last month that it may start the process of adding new aircraft and routes again while the investigation is still underway.
According to Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby, the Chicago-based airline was "embracing" the FAA examination as a chance to raise the already high standard of safety.
Shares of United dropped 1.4% during New York trade.
(Updates with information on pilot talks and runway debris start in the sixth paragraph.)
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