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A DC9 crew prior to takeoff was advised by a passenger that a 'hole' was observed in an engine fan blade later found to be fan blade damage.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 469499 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200004 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mco.airport |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked ground : position and hold |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 10000 |
| ASRS Report | 469499 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : person 3 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Just prior to takeoff, flight attendant notified us that a passenger thought he may have seen a 'hole' in one of our turbine blades. This seemed impossible. As the engines were running at this time and a 'hole' would be impossible to see. After getting more information from attendant, the passenger stated he had seen this hole prior to engine start. Since 10 mins had elapsed from engine start until passenger actually said anything about this, it seemed illogical. If a passenger was truly concerned, it seemed they would have mentioned it immediately and not waited 10 mins. Cockpit crew decided this was probably just another passenger 'crying wolf' and elected to continue takeoff. All engine parameters were normal during 2 1/2 hour flight to mke. Sure enough, during ground inspection following flight, found 2 turbine blades on left engine with nicks in them.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DC9 CREW PRIOR TO TKOF WAS ADVISED BY A PAX THAT A 'HOLE' WAS OBSERVED IN AN ENG FAN BLADE LATER FOUND TO BE FAN BLADE DAMAGE.
Narrative: JUST PRIOR TO TKOF, FLT ATTENDANT NOTIFIED US THAT A PAX THOUGHT HE MAY HAVE SEEN A 'HOLE' IN ONE OF OUR TURBINE BLADES. THIS SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE. AS THE ENGS WERE RUNNING AT THIS TIME AND A 'HOLE' WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. AFTER GETTING MORE INFO FROM ATTENDANT, THE PAX STATED HE HAD SEEN THIS HOLE PRIOR TO ENG START. SINCE 10 MINS HAD ELAPSED FROM ENG START UNTIL PAX ACTUALLY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, IT SEEMED ILLOGICAL. IF A PAX WAS TRULY CONCERNED, IT SEEMED THEY WOULD HAVE MENTIONED IT IMMEDIATELY AND NOT WAITED 10 MINS. COCKPIT CREW DECIDED THIS WAS PROBABLY JUST ANOTHER PAX 'CRYING WOLF' AND ELECTED TO CONTINUE TKOF. ALL ENG PARAMETERS WERE NORMAL DURING 2 1/2 HR FLT TO MKE. SURE ENOUGH, DURING GND INSPECTION FOLLOWING FLT, FOUND 2 TURBINE BLADES ON L ENG WITH NICKS IN THEM.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.