AMSTERDAM – An incident involving a Boeing 747-400 cargo plane that dropped engine parts on Saturday during an air explosion and a fire over the south of the Netherlands is being investigated, the Dutch Security Council said.
The Longtail Aviation cargo plane, flight 5504, spread small metal parts over the Dutch city of Meerssen, causing damage and injuring a woman shortly after take-off, said Hella Hendriks, spokesperson for the Airport in Maastricht.
The Bermuda-registered plane, en route from Maastricht to New York, was powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines on Saturday, a smaller version of that on a United Airlines Boeing 777 involved in an incident in Denver.
Following that incident, Boeing recommended that airlines operate certain older versions of its 777 aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney 4000-112 engines, which are currently operated by five airlines.
U.S. regulators announced additional inspections and Japan suspended their use while considering further action.
In the Dutch incident, witnesses heard one or two explosions shortly after takeoff, and the pilot was notified by air traffic control that an engine was on fire, Hendriks said.
“The photos indicate that they were parts of the engine blade, but are being investigated,” she said. “Several cars were damaged and pieces hit several houses. Pieces were found across the neighborhood on roofs, gardens and streets.”
Longtail Aviation said it was “too early to speculate as to what may have been the cause of the problem” and that it was working with the Dutch, Belgian, Bermuda and British authorities to investigate the incident.
Hendriks dropped dozens of pieces, about 5 inches wide and up to 25 inches long. The plane landed safely at the Liege airport in Belgium, about 19 kilometers south of the Dutch border.
Boeing referred questions to the Dutch authorities.
“Our investigation is still in a preliminary phase, it is too early to draw conclusions,” a spokesperson for the Dutch Security Council said on Monday.
The European aviation regulator of the EASA said on Monday that it is aware of the incidents of the Pratt & Whitney aircraft car, and asks for information on the causes to determine what action is needed.