CNN — Qantas, Australia’s national airline, grounded its Airbus A380 fleet indefinitely after part of a plane’s engine cover fell off in flight Thursday.
via Qantas grounds Airbus A380 fleet after engine cover falls off plane – CNN.com.
“The engine cover fell off”. That’s like explaining death as turning very pale, neglecting to mention the heart stopped.
The engine cover fell off because the engine shucked some turbine blades. One of the pictures in the CNN report is of holes in the top of the wing over then #2 engine which appear to be going up.
Good for Quantas for handling it professionally and safely.
I almost want to give CNN credit for not sensationalizing it:
SUPERJUMBO’S ENGINE EXPLODES IN MIDAIR!
All passengers safe after heroic emergency landing
Would have been the headline I would have bet on, and frankly, a turbine going to bits could quite accurately be described as a contained explosion. So I am surprised and pleased they didn’t run with the shocking aspect, especially since this really is pretty shocking.