On October 28, 2016, American Airlines flight 383, a Boeing 767-323 (N345AN) was departing Chicago’s O’Hare Airport for Miami when it suffered an uncontained failure of the number two General Electric CF6 engine. The stage 2 compressor disk broke in half while at takeoff power, and one piece of the disk traveled through the wing, ruptured the lines to the main fuel tank, and then flew nearly 3,000 feet through the air before coming down through the roof of a nearby UPS facility. The other half exited the engine, impacted the runway, and broke into three pieces.
The cockpit crew successfully aborted the takeoff and evacuated the aircraft. There were no fatalities, though 20 passengers were injured, one seriously, during the evacuation. The subsequent investigation by the NTSB pointed to an likely undetectable flaw, a so-called “discreet dirty white spot,” in the stage 2 disk that occurred during manufacture. The report also identified the need for improved inspection processes, as well as additional training on evacuation and communication procedures during an emergency. It also cites the use of the port overwing exits while the engine was still running. The one passenger who was seriously injured was blown over by the engine after exiting over the wing. And yes, passengers tried to take their carry-ons with them while the plane was burning.
