Reportedly First 'Uncontained Failure' Of GE's CF34-3B1 Engine

A Mesa Airlines CRJ200LR tossed a fan blade from its number one engine, a GE CF34-3B1, during cruise flight last Thursday evening. According to industry sources, the failed blade took out the engine's forward cowling as it departed the aircraft.

The jet was 50 nm out of Denver, CO on it's way to Phoenix, AZ when the incident occurred. GE has reportedly dispatched three representatives to support the NTSB in its investigation.

Data on the FAA's website indicates there were no injuries among the passengers or crew following the crew's decision to make an emergency landing in Denver.

GE says there hasn't been a failure such as this in any of the more than 2000 CF34-3B1 engines placed in service since 1992.

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**   Report created 1/29/2007   Record 2                                      **
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IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 17337        Make/Model: CL65      Description: BOMBARDIER REGIONAL JET
  Date: 01/25/2007     Time: 0019

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Minor

LOCATION
  City: DENVER   State: CO   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  ACFT LOST PIECE OF COWL AND A #1 ENGINE FAN BLADE, DENVER, CO

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: UNKNOWN

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Business      Phase: Cruise      Operation: Air Carrier

  Departed:                             Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination:                          Flt Plan:              Wx Briefing: 
  Last Radio Cont: 
  Last Clearance: 

  FAA FSDO: DENVER, CO  (NM03)                    Entry date: 01/26/2007

FMI: www.mesa-air.com, www.faa.gov, www.ntsb.gov