Investigators Reject Engine Failure as Chief Cause of Dallas Jet Crash
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WASHINGTON — Federal investigators on Thursday ruled out engine failure as the primary cause of the crash of a Delta Air Lines jet last month, saying there was no evidence that the engines had suffered a mechanical breakdown prior to impact.
The Aug. 31 crash as the Boeing 727 was attempting to take off from the Dallas-Ft. Worth airport killed 14 of the 108 people aboard. The three pilots survived, but none was able to shed light on the cause of the crash in initial interviews.
Early speculation on the cause of the accident centered on the plane’s three engines because witnesses saw flames coming from an engine and one of the pilots was heard on the cockpit recorder to refer to “engine failure” shortly before the crash.
But the National Transportation Safety Board announced Thursday that a detailed examination of the three Pratt & Whitney JT8D engines at the company’s facilities in Connecticut “indicated there was no evidence of pre-impact failure.”
“There was evidence that all engines were running as commanded and capable of producing full power at the time of impact,” the safety board said.
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