Team Looks For Pieces Of Mesa Jet's Engine

A team of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators, with assistance from other parties, is investigating the uncontained engine failure on an America West Express jet in the area near Denver, CO. The agency says its seeking the engine components that fell from the airplane in an effort to determine the cause of the event.

As ANN reported, on January 25, 2007, at 16:50 Mountain Standard Time, a CRJ200 (file photo of type below) owned by Mesa Airlines, and operating as America West Express Flight 2985, from Denver to Phoenix, AZ experienced an uncontained engine failure while climbing through 24,000 feet. The left engine cowling, fan, and other forward components separated over sparsely populated mountainous terrain in an area beginning just south of Woodland Park, CO and running south-southwest to 10 miles southwest of Cripple Creek, CO.

The jet's flight crew declared an emergency and immediately returned for an uneventful landing at the Denver International Airport at 17:30 Mountain Standard Time. None of the 54 passengers and crew was injured. The aircraft itself sustained minor damage to the fuselage, left engine pylon, and tail section during the engine separation.

The NTSB has notified local officials in Teller County of the incident, and that there could be engine debris on the ground in their jurisdictions.  The agency has requested those officials, as well as other state and local agencies, assist in locating the missing engine parts.

A radar analysis team assembled and gathered all FAA, company, and military radar information. This information is being correlated with data from the airplane's flight recorders in an effort to pinpoint the potential locations of the engine parts.

Members of the public should contact the Teller County Sheriff's Department (Telephone 719-687-9652) of the location, estimated size, and description of the part or parts found. The NTSB warns the parts could cause injuries if not handled with proper precautions, and has asked the public to leave them where found for investigators to retrieve.

Air safety investigator Jennifer Kaiser of the NTSB's Central Mountain Region in Denver is leading the team there.

Members of the team include: NTSB engineers, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors; Mesa Airlines; Bombardier Canada (the airplane manufacturer); and General Electric Corporation (the engine manufacturer).

FMI: www.ntsb.gov