Fault Identified In Engine

An aviation law expert at Irwin Mitchell has welcomed the outcome of investigations into what caused an engine on an Airbus A380 aircraft operated by Qantas to explode during flight.

Investigators who examined the incident discovered that a potential manufacturing fault in the Trent 900 engine may have been the cause of the incident last month.

Qantas was forced to ground its fleet of A380s following the incident, which occurred on the QF32 flight between Singapore and Sydney. It has now emerged that a misaligned counter-boring could have thinned the wall of an oil pipe and led to a leak which caused the fire.

Clive Garner, head of the national law firm’s Aviation Law team, said today, " While this discovery is clearly a matter of concern, at the same time it is a relief that the probable cause of the problem had been identified. The discovery should mean thorough checks are now urgently undertaken on all other Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines and remedial action taken where necessary."

Garner continued “Our work means that we see the life-changing and devastating impact that aircraft crashes can have on both those directly involved and their loved ones. This includes acting for the families of those who have tragically died in other incidents involving Airbus aircraft.

“We hope that every step is taken by aircraft manufacturers, airlines and others in the industry to ensure that the safety of passengers always comes first.”

Qantas is understood to have commenced legal action against engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce over the issue.