Continental Airlines puts DC-10 aircraft under scrutiny

Airline Industry Information, Sept 13, 2000

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2000 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Continental Airlines has experienced two aircraft incidents recently, one involving a DC-10 aircraft and the other a Boeing.

In the first incident a DC-10 aircraft experienced engine failure on 7 September and forced an aborted takeoff in Amsterdam. The problem followed other incidents on 25 April and 5 September involving DC-10 aircraft, which has prompted Continental Airlines to launch an investigation into its DC-10 fleet.

GE Aircraft Engines in Cincinnati, which provides the DC-10's CF6-50 engines, has indicated that in all three incidents an exhaust nozzle on the engine came loose, according to the Associated Press.

In the second recent incident, a Continental Airlines Boeing 737 suffered an engine fire on 10 September at Newark International Airport. The pilot shut the engine down and evacuated passengers with no-one hurt.

A spokesperson for Continental Airlines stated that the fire had occurred in the tailpipe after fuel leaked from the left-wing engine.

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