Rolls-Royce admits to Qantas engine blunder

Rolls-Royce admits to Qantas engine blunder
By admin


Rolls Royce has admitted it “clearly fell short” of its safety standards as Australia’s transport watchdog today ruled that oil feed pipes on a Qantas engine that exploded had not been correctly built.

The A380 engine on Sydney-bound QF32 blew up shortly after the aircraft took off from Singapore’s Changi Airport on November 4 2010.

The aircraft returned to Changi and landed safely with none of the 469 passengers hurt.

Rolls Royce, which built the engines, said it agreed with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) which found the incident was caused by a faulty oil pipe.

It was one of a “small number” incorrectly manufactured “as a result of a measurement error during a precision drilling procedure”.

“This was a serious and rare event which we very much regret,” said Rolls-Royce director engineering and technology Colin Smith. “At Rolls-Royce we continually strive to meet the high standard of safety, quality and reliability that our customers and their passengers are entitled to expect.

“On this occasion we clearly fell short.

"The robustness of the Airbus A380 and the professionalism of the Qantas crew members assured that the aircraft and all its passengers landed safely.”

He stressed that lessons have been learned with procedures introduced to “prevent this type of event from happening again”.

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