Cathay Pacific Inspects A350 Fleet After Engine Component Failure

By Lisa Barrington and Tim Hepher
(Reuters) – Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways (OTC:CPCAY) reported on Tuesday that it inspected its entire Airbus A350 fleet following an in-flight engine component failure, discovering that 15 aircraft required part replacements.

A source disclosed that a fuel system leak seemed to have caused a brief engine fire on a Zurich-bound A350. Fortunately, the crew managed to extinguish the fire quickly. There were no initial indications that the incident would entail significant regulatory action regarding the A350 fleet, according to the informant.

The A350-1000 returned to Hong Kong just over an hour into its flight. Aviation Herald, an aviation safety publication, reported the aircraft had turned back subsequent to a cockpit alert relating to a fire in one of its two Rolls-Royce (OTC:RYCEY) XWB-97 engines.

Following routine checks and using a fire suppression system, the crew dumped fuel and returned safely to base, as noted.

This incident resulted in a sharp decline in shares for Rolls-Royce on Monday, but those shares rebounded 2.4% on Tuesday as concerns about broader implications eased, with analysts suggesting the prior sell-off was overdone. Rolls-Royce shares were among the top gainers on London’s FTSE 100 index.

Cathay Pacific confirmed that three of its 48 Rolls-Royce-powered aircraft had completed successful repairs and were expected to resume regular operations by Saturday. However, the airline cancelled at least 34 round-trip flights due to the disruption within its fleet.

Data from FlightRadar24 indicated that other major operators of the A350-1000 and the more commonly used A350-900 were still conducting flights on Tuesday. Notably, Rolls-Royce has yet to issue formal instructions for inspections to airlines, as per an industry source who requested anonymity.

Typically, such directives represent the first steps toward official instructions from regulators, although regulators can act independently. Japan Airlines (JAL), operating five A350-1000s, has reached out to Rolls-Royce for more information but has not halted any A350 flights in the meantime. A JAL representative stated, “If the engine manufacturer takes any further action, we will respond accordingly.”

Cathay Pacific reported that it had secured spare parts for the components needing replacement, with Rolls-Royce stating that replacements could occur while the engine remained installed. The manufacturer committed to collaborating closely with Cathay Pacific, Airbus, and investigators in Hong Kong, with the safety agency commencing an inquiry.

While Cathay Pacific did not specify the exact engine component that failed, they indicated it was the first of its kind to fail on any A350 aircraft globally. A source mentioned that the incident involved a leak in the system that delivers fuel to the engine.

The system includes a pipe directing fuel from a manifold to a nozzle that releases fuel into the combustion chamber, the high-temperature core of the engine. Sources revealed that partially scorched parts are under analysis at Rolls-Royce facilities on behalf of the Hong Kong investigators, but no leaks were detected in other engines thus far.

Experts assert that such issues are rare but, unless indicating a grave defect, generally present fewer alarms than failures of key rotating components like turbine blades.

Nevertheless, widespread inspections could disrupt airlines already dealing with congested engine repair shops due to increased wear on modern engines, notably those of Pratt & Whitney on smaller Airbus jets. Airbus has offered “full technical support” amidst these developments.

Precautionary Measures

Currently, 86 A350-1000s are active worldwide, alongside 526 A350-900s according to Airbus data, as they compete with Boeing’s 787 and 777 on long-haul routes. Cathay operates a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft.

Top operators of the A350-1000 include Qatar Airways (24), British Airways (18), and Virgin Atlantic (12). Qatar Airways confirmed that its fleet of 24 A350-1000s remains unaffected and continues to monitor the situation.

Even though the part failure happened on one of its A350-1000 jets, Cathay Pacific is also checking its 30 A350-900s as a precaution. The airline indicated it had identified several similar engine components needing replacement.

Malaysia’s national carrier, which operates A350-900s, has consulted Airbus and is currently operating as normal, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook. Singapore Airlines is reviewing its A350-900 engines but has experienced no impact on flights, as it does not operate any A350-1000s. Cathay Pacific shares decreased by 0.6% at the end of the trading day.