RAAF warplane's engine 'destroyed itself' during attempted take-off, resulting in $120 million fire
19 Aug 2018 Andrew Greene
"...Six months on from the fiery mishap, the Defence Department has confirmed the damaged Growler has since been "withdrawn from service" and the department has begun examining how it can recover the cost of the aircraft, believed to be worth $120 million….
...The investigation has confirmed a high-pressure compressor in the Growler's engine had broken into three major pieces, with one segment piercing through the bottom of the jet and taking a chunk out of the runway.
Another piece of the compressor went sideways through the second engine causing severe damage, while the third piece went up and destroyed the right-hand tailfin before flying away and landing some distance from the jet.
As the jet came to a halt, the rear fuselage was engulfed in fire, the main undercarriage collapsed, and two of the three ALQ-99 electronic jammer pods it was carrying were severely damaged….
...The Defence Department says it is exploring options for the "recovery of economic losses resulting from the incident" now that the aircraft has been assessed as "beyond economic repair". "Due to contractual arrangements, this process is expected to take a period of time," the Department said.
Senior Defence figures say any compensation claim would likely go first through the US Navy, then to the airframe manufacturer Boeing, then to engine maker General Electric, and finally to the engine component supplier. The RAAF has 11 jets remaining in its Growler fleet but is yet to decide whether it will replace the damaged aircraft."
