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Chicago, IL
Shortly after takeoff, the flight crew heard a noise from the right side of the aircraft, which sounded like an engine compressor stall. The #3 engine was shut down and the crew made an uneventful landing at the departure airport. Pieces of cowling from the right engine fell in a residential area, but did no damage. Teardown of the engine revealed that turbine blades on the first stage low pressure turbine wheel had broken off and had penetrated the engine case and core cowl doors. Further investigation revealed that 2 stud bolts (saddle bolts) had pulled out from strut bosses 2 and 3 in the turbine mid frame (TMF), which placed an additional load on strut bosses 1 and 4. Eventually, the 1 and 4 saddle bolts pulled loose and allowed the nozzle support flange to shift rearward. This shift allowed the nozzle segments to come in contact with the low pressure turbine and result in the failure. There was indication that unauthorized rework had been accomplished on the saddle bolts before owner (United Airline) had purchased the airplane from another (Laker) airline.
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FLIGHT CREW HEARD A NOISE FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH SOUNDED LIKE AN ENGINE COMPRESSOR STALL. THE #3 ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN & THE CREW MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. PIECES OF COWLING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE FELL IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, BUT DID NO DAMAGE. TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT TURBINE BLADES ON THE FIRST STAGE LOW PRESSURE TURBINE WHEEL HAD BROKEN OFF & HAD PENETRATED THE ENGINE CASE & CORE COWL DOORS. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT 2 STUD BOLTS (SADDLE BOLTS) HAD PULLED OUT FROM STRUT BOSSES 2 & 3 IN THE TURBINE MID FRAME (TMF), WHICH PLACED AN ADDITIONAL LOAD ON STRUT BOSSES 1 & 4. EVENTUALLY, THE 1 & 4 SADDLE BOLTS PULLED LOOSE & ALLOWED THE NOZZLE SUPPORT FLANGE TO SHIFT REARWARD. THIS SHIFT ALLOWED THE NOZZLE SEGMENTS TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE LOW PRESSURE TURBINE & RESULT IN THE FAILURE. THERE WAS INDICATION THAT UNAUTHORIZED REWORK HAD BEEN ACOMPLISHED ON THE SADDLE BOLTS BEFORE OWNER (UNITED AIRLINE) HAD PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE FROM ANOTHER (LAKER) AIRLINE.