France to lead investigation into A380 engine explosion

Paris (Reuters): France’s air accident investigation agency said last week it would lead the probe into an engine explosion that prompted the emergency landing of an Air France A380 superjumbo in Canada with over 500 people on board.

Reuters reported that Canada, France and the United States were debating who should lead the investigation into the accident, which took place high over Greenland.

The decision to hand control to the BEA means investigators can begin planning an unusual search in potentially inhospitable terrain to find a missing 3-metre-(9.8-foot)-wide fan that ripped off the engine in midair.

Nobody was injured in the incident, in which Air France Flight 66, originating in Paris and bound for Los Angeles, declared a mayday and diverted to Goose Bay in Labrador.

The BEA confirmed that the engine’s main fan and inlet had become detached. It now plans with Danish help to search for the missing parts.

The BEA said damage was limited to the right-outer no.4 engine and its immediate surroundings, boosting chances that the aircraft can be flown back to Europe for further examination.

The A380 is the world’s largest airliner and a European icon with a history of attracting debate because of its high public profile, and the start of the probe appeared to be no exception.