In an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2024-0174-E, EASA mandated a phased one-off inspection of versatile gas hose connections contained in the engines to verify for harm. The inspections have to happen over the subsequent 3-30 days, relying on the person engine historical past. In whole, 86 A350-1000 plane are in service worldwide.
“This motion is a precautionary measure, based mostly on the knowledge acquired from the preliminary investigation of the latest Cathay Pacific severe incident and on the airline’s findings in its personal subsequent inspections,” mentioned EASA Government Director Florian Guillermet. “We are going to proceed to comply with carefully all info that might be made obtainable by the continued security investigation.”
On September 1, 2024, an A350-1000 plane, operated by Cathay Pacific on a flight from Hong Kong to Zurich, skilled an in-flight engine hearth shortly after take-off. The fireplace was promptly detected and extinguished, and the plane returned safely to Hong Kong. The plane was powered by Trent XWB-97 engines.
This occasion was labeled as severe incident, and an Worldwide Civil Aviation Group (ICAO) Annex-13 investigation was opened by the Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) of Hong Kong.
Following an inspection by Cathay Pacific of its A350 fleet, the airline reported related issues on different plane.
EASA is State of Design airworthiness authority for the A350 plane and for the Trent XWB engines. The present measures are mandated for Trent XWB-97 engines. Trent XWB-84 engines, put in on the A350-900, are related however differ in design and repair historical past. On the premise of the obtainable info, an extension of the measures to those engines is just not warranted at this stage.
