A report from Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) on Thursday revealed that the in-flight engine failure of a Cathay Pacific Airbus A350 was caused by a damaged fuel hose, which showed signs of fire.
The investigation found that the second engine of the Cathay-operated A350 jet had a ruptured fuel hose, with five additional secondary hoses also displaying wear and tear.
“If not promptly detected and addressed, this situation, along with further failures, could escalate into a more serious engine fire, potentially causing extensive damage to the aircraft,” the AAIA report noted.
The report also explained that other factors, such as the presence of oxygen and an ignition (heat) source, could lead to a fire spreading to the surrounding area.
Following the incident, Cathay Pacific inspected all its Airbus A350 jets after passenger flight CX383 received an engine fire warning shortly after taking off on 2 September. Cathay confirmed that this was the first recorded failure of this component on any A350 aircraft globally.
Sources: Reuters
