Flames Seen From Swiss A330 Plane as Logan Airport Issues Ground Stop

Boston Logan International Airport briefly halted arrivals Tuesday evening after a Swiss International Air Lines flight aborted its takeoff and flames were seen coming from one of its engines. The incident involved an Airbus A330-300 bound for Zurich, Switzerland, with 223 passengers and 13 crew members on board.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the crew of SWISS Flight 55 stopped its takeoff on Runway 22R around 6:25 p.m. local time on Sep. 15 after experiencing engine issues. The agency said it temporarily paused some arrivals before the plane taxied off the runway. “The FAA will investigate,” it added in a statement.

Video posted on social media showed flames shooting from the aircraft as it slowed on the runway. The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), which operates Logan Airport, confirmed the plane had returned to the gate after a “loud noise” was reported during takeoff. “Nothing was found upon investigation,” a Massport spokesperson said.

A Swiss International Air Lines spokesperson said in a statement early Wednesday that Flight LX55 from Boston to Zurich experienced “a problem” with its right engine during takeoff, prompting the crew to immediately abort the departure. Passengers were able to disembark normally after the aircraft taxied back to the gate. “Investigations into the exact nature of the engine problem are currently underway,” the airline said, adding that depending on the nature of an engine issue, “it is possible that a flame may be visible for a brief moment.”

SWISS’s Airbus A330-300 aircraft are powered by two Rolls-Royce 772B-EP (Enhanced Performance) engines. These engines are part of the Rolls-Royce Trent 700 family and have been a popular choice for the A330-300, providing excellent performance and reliability.

Aircraft engine nacelles are designed with reinforced structures, including containment rings made of ballistic fabrics like Kevlar, to mitigate the damage from an “uncontained” engine failure. While they are not designed to fully contain a catastrophic explosion, they are engineered to absorb the impact of fan blade separation and direct debris away from critical components and the aircraft cabin.

Swiss International Air Lines reassured that all passengers and crew were unharmed and apologized for the disruption. A replacement aircraft was arranged to carry travelers to Zurich, with an expected arrival about five hours later than scheduled. “We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to passengers by this incident,” the airline said.

One passenger, Molly Furrer, described the moment to NBC10 Boston: “We’re about halfway down the runway when all of a sudden, there’s kind of a boom noise and a big jolt. I could feel the plane braking and then started to skid down the runway until it came to a complete stop.” She said that while everyone was startled, passengers remained calm.

Furrer added that panic began to build only when first responders and ambulances surrounded the plane and passengers were unsure what had happened. “We had no idea,” she said. “Is the plane on fire in the back?” According to Furrer, the pilots later explained there had been an engine warning for the second engine, which they quickly shut down during takeoff. “The first feeling, fortunately, that I had was general relief that this was caught before we even got into the air,” she said.

No injuries were reported. The FAA’s investigation will determine what caused the engine issue that led to the dramatic aborted takeoff and brief ground stop at one of the nation’s busiest airports.


Related News: https://airguide.info/?s=Swiss+International, https://airguide.info/category/air-travel-business/travel-health-security/

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, nbcboston.com