What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) B-747-400, N639US, nwa flight #2, after takeoff from Manila, philippines, the number four engine reverser core cowl liberated. The left core cowl completely, the right core cowl remained attached at its uppermost point causing an air stream deflection and a resultant yaw and vibration of the aircraft. Crew returned immediately to Manila and landed. The #4 engine has been removed and both it and the pylon appear undamaged. Only the inboard side reverser core cowl and the engine exhaust sleeve separated from the aircraft, but in doing so created damage to the leading edge flap and #8 flap track canoe. They have not recovered parts yet. It appears at this time that the reverser v-band was not secured, nor was the torque box latch and the thrust latch. Eir#privacy data omitted has been opened.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) B-747-400, N639US, NWA FLIGHT #2, AFTER TAKEOFF FROM MANILA, PHILIPPINES, THE NUMBER FOUR ENGINE REVERSER CORE COWL LIBERATED. THE LEFT CORE COWL COMPLETELY, THE RIGHT CORE COWL REMAINED ATTACHED AT ITS UPPERMOST POINT CAUSING AN AIR STREAM DEFLECTION AND A RESULTANT YAW AND VIBRATION OF THE AIRCRAFT. CREW RETURNED IMMEDIATELY TO MANILA AND LANDED. THE #4 ENGINE HAS BEEN REMOVED AND BOTH IT AND THE PYLON APPEAR UNDAMAGED. ONLY THE INBOARD SIDE REVERSER CORE COWL AND THE ENGINE EXHAUST SLEEVE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT, BUT IN DOING SO CREATED DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE FLAP AND #8 FLAP TRACK CANOE. THEY HAVE NOT RECOVERED PARTS YET. IT APPEARS AT THIS TIME THAT THE REVERSER V-BAND WAS NOT SECURED, NOR WAS THE TORQUE BOX LATCH AND THE THRUST LATCH. EIR#^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAS BEEN OPENED.
Other reports on N669US · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.