Bird remains were found inside the engine of a Ryanair Boeing 737 NG after an engine component broke apart and struck a passenger window shortly after takeoff from Greece in July, according to a preliminary report by the US National Transportation Safety Board.
The incident occurred on July 10 as the aircraft was travelling to Germany. The damaged engine component struck a window, causing the plane to lose cabin pressure and forcing the crew to make an emergency landing. A passenger was partially sucked through the damaged window.
NTSB investigates possible bird strikes
The NTSB said its investigation found that the aircraft's No. 2 engine had been involved in four suspected bird strikes reported by the flight crew during the 12 months before the incident.
Bird remains were reportedly discovered in two of those cases, although subsequent maintenance inspections found no damage, according to the preliminary report.
The agency said the CFM engine, manufactured by a joint venture between France's Safran and US-based General Electric, had undergone an inspection in May with no issues identified.
Boeing and Ryanair declined to comment on Thursday. GE and Safran were not immediately available for comment.
Investigation examines previous engine failures
The NTSB, an independent US government agency responsible for investigating civil transportation accidents, is leading the investigation into the Ryanair incident.
Investigators are examining whether the event bears similarities to previous incidents involving the same or similar engine models. The agency specifically referenced an April 2018 engine failure on a Southwest Airlines flight in the United States, in which a passenger was killed after being partially sucked through a window.
The NTSB said its investigative team was aware of earlier incidents involving similar engine models that caused damage to engine inlets or cowlings and fuselage structures. However, it said any relevant similarities between those cases and the Ryanair incident were still being examined.
FAA chief says early signs differ from Southwest case
Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford told Reuters that the early indications did not suggest the recent Ryanair incident was the same as the Southwest Airlines case.
The investigation into the July incident remains ongoing as authorities examine the engine damage and circumstances surrounding the loss of cabin pressure.
