Full Breakdown
Air New Zealand ATR-72-600 Engine Fire Highlights Fatigue-Blade Failure and Evacuation Challenges
By Drooid · · How we work
Engine Fire and Emergency Evacuation
On September 1, an Air New Zealand ATR-72-600 bound for Wellington suffered a left-engine fire just before landing. A low-pressure turbine (LPT) blade in the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127M fractured, allowing oil to enter the combustion zone and produce smoke and flames that triggered the fire-warning light. The captain ordered an emergency evacuation.
The crew shut down both engines, discharged a fire-agent bottle into the left nacelle, and the tower activated its emergency alarm. Passengers were instructed to evacuate; the rear-left door and stairs opened at 4:07 p.m., followed by the forward exits. The evacuation lasted approximately 171 seconds, exceeding the 90-second benchmark for a half-exit scenario. Minor injuries, mainly strains from the forward-exit jumps, were reported.
Investigation Findings on Blade Failure
The Transportation Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) found fatigue cracking caused the LPT blade to break. The crack likely existed during the engine’s last overhaul and was missed by quality-assurance checks. Examination of the removed engine at Pratt & Whitney’s Quebec facility revealed misaligned centre-line bearing housings, circumferential rubbing, and blade-tip damage consistent with a misaligned rotating core. Of the 46 remaining LPT blades, one additional crack was identified. No other design, maintenance or operating deficiencies were noted.
Evacuation Timeline and Passenger Behaviour
- 4:06:05 p.m. – Captain initiates evacuation checklist.
- 4:07:11 p.m. – Captain announces “evacuate, evacuate” over the PA.
- 4:07:38 p.m. – Rear-left door and stairs opened.
- 4:07:46 p.m. – Forward-left exit jettisoned; passengers begin using forward exits.
- 4:10:18 p.m. – Last passenger leaves rear-left exit (42 used, ~17 with baggage).
More than half of the travellers retrieved carry-on items despite crew instructions to leave baggage behind. Passengers cited unclear safety briefings and the perceived absence of fire as reasons for delaying exit.
Safety Implications and Industry Response
The incident highlights two safety concerns: fatigue detection in engine overhauls and the effectiveness of evacuation communication.
Air New Zealand’s response includes:
- Aligning cabin-crew evacuation commands fleet-wide.
- Updating safety-briefing cards to better depict exit heights.
- Enhancing rear-service-door training.
- Reviewing passenger-safety videos and crew commands.
Simon Wallace, chief executive of the Aviation Industry Association, praised the ATR-72’s fire-extinguishing system but called for clearer evacuation instructions and stricter baggage-policy enforcement.
Official Statements & Responses
Air New Zealand’s chief safety officer emphasized the rarity of such incidents and the importance of thorough investigations.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The commission welcomes the safety action taken to date. However, as this safety action has not been fully implemented, the safety issue remains.” — Air New Zealand
- “The combustion of the oil that had seeped on to the engine produced a large volume of smoke, and the temperature ... increased to the point that the fire detection warning was activated. The burning oil also resulted in flames and a large volume of smoke coming from the engine exhaust.” — TAIC
What’s Next
TAIC has recommended tighter inspection criteria for LPT blades during overhauls and has notified the Canadian regulator.