Exam Finds Multiple Cracks in Part of United Jet’s Engine

Exam Finds Multiple Cracks in Part of United Jet’s Engine
The engine of United Airlines Flight 328 is on fire after experiencing "a right-engine failure" shortly after takeoff from Denver International Airport, in Denver, Colo., on Feb. 20, 2021. Chad Schnell via AP
The Associated Press
Updated:

Microscopic examination supports early suspicions that wear and tear caused a fan blade to snap inside one engine of a United Airlines plane that made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff last month in Denver, federal safety investigators said Friday.

The National Transportation Safety Board said the blade found “multiple fatigue fracture origins” on the inside surface of the hollow fan blade. The board said “multiple” secondary cracks were found, and that the examination is continuing.