The NTSB's investigation into the April 17 inflight engine failure on a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 has raised the question of whether turbine engine fan blades should be life-limited. And it may produce recommendations for stricter testing and certification of engine inlets. Seven months after the left CPM56-7B engine on the 737 failed, forcing the pilots to make an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport, the NTSB convened a hearing Nov. 14 to gather facts toward making a probable cause finding, likely to take several months. Representatives of Boeing, engine manufacturer CFM International, engine inlet supplier UTC Aerospace Systems (UTAS) and the FAA fielded questions about the ongoing accident probe.
展开▼
