Qantas A380 (VH-OQI) flew for almost a month with a tool left inside the engine

[Mattg]

The ATSB has released a report into a Qantas A380 (VH-OQI) that flew 34 times between 6 December 2023 and 1 January 2024 with a tuning tool inside the engine. The foreign object had been left there, and was later found, during scheduled maintenance at LAX. Luckily it did not damage the engine.

Tool left in A380 engine after maintenance inspection highlights importance of tool control | ATSB

www.atsb.gov.au

An A380 operated multiple flights with a tool inside one of its engines, after maintenance engineers did not commence the lost tool procedure prior to the aircraft being released to service, an ATSB investigation report details.

The 1.25 m long nylon tool, used to turn the engine’s intermediate‑pressure compressor during borescope inspections, was found wedged against the low-pressure compressor outlet guide vanes during a scheduled maintenance check at Los Angeles on 1 January 2024.

It was determined that that the tool had been left in the engine during previous scheduled maintenance in Los Angeles on 6 December 2023.

Between the two maintenance checks, the Qantas aircraft had flown 34 cycles, totalling 294 hours, with the tool in the engine. Although the tool was found to have been deformed by high energy airflow, there was no damage observed to the engine itself.

 

[jb747]

Well, there was a tool in charge for 15 years, so just following the example….

 

[serfty]

Well, there was a tool in charge for 15 years, so just following the example….

Some are more obvious ... although wedged against others.

 

[SeaWolf]

7:30 has done a follow up.

Qantas called out for process failures and 'cascade of errors' over 1.25m tool left in A380 engine

The safety regulator has lashed national carrier Qantas over a "cascade of errors" that saw a 1.25-metre tool left in an engine for 300 hours of flying time.

www.abc.net.au

The ATSB investigation found there was a litany of missed opportunities to address the problem – including flags raised and ignored by Qantas staff – which ultimately resulted in a regulation breach after several procedures were skipped.