A Boeing 787 engine suffered a failure during testing Saturday at its North Charleston airport base causing a fire.
The incident occurred at 4:07 PM when an unpainted Boeing 787 was undergoing preflight runway testing. According to reports, the Boeing 787 engine failure sent metal shards on to the approach to the only operational runway at the airport, which had to be shut down for a brief time.
‘Boeing SC spokeswoman Candy Eslinger told the Post and Courier that the unpainted 787 involved in the incident was the latest one built at Boeing’s North Charleston complex. The plane is powered by GE engines, she said.’
The grass fire that erupted next to the runway was put out quickly.
Boeing issued a brief statement on the incident:
“We are unaware of any operational issue that would present concerns about the continued safe operation of in-service 787s powered by GE engines.”
The jet is one of Boeing's most critical products. The company delivered the first Dreamliner jets last year following several years of design and production delays.
Airlines set record orders for the jet, as its lightweight, high-tech design was expected to offer travellers more comfort, provide airlines significant fuel savings and open up new routes.
The pressure is on for companies to deliver a successful fuel-efficient plane. Boeing competitor Airbus on Friday announced another delay for its A350 aircraft, which is made with a significant amount of carbon composites and is considered a potential rival.
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