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Federal investigators have released a preliminary report on an American Airlines plane fire that occurred in March, revealing the incident was caused by a cracked engine fan blade and a component installed backward. The findings were disclosed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Thursday.
The incident took place on March 13 with American Airlines Flight 1006, which was traveling from Colorado Springs to Dallas. The flight was diverted to Denver due to engine vibrations. Upon landing, fluid leaked from beneath the right engine as the aircraft taxied to its gate. Passengers began shouting "fire" and "smoke" when smoke filled the cabin, prompting an emergency evacuation. Although one emergency slide failed to deploy correctly, passengers exited via another functional slide and over-wing exits. No serious injuries were reported, though 12 passengers sustained minor injuries during the evacuation.
According to the NTSB, both the damaged fan blade and a misinstalled lockwire on the variable stator vane—responsible for regulating airflow inside the engine—were found in the aircraft's right engine. This engine was manufactured by CFM International, a joint venture between GE and France’s Safran SA. While American Airlines is cooperating with the investigation, GE has declined to comment and Safran has not responded to media inquiries.
