FAA Investigates Delta Plane's Blown Engine

FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4) - Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration are trying to determine what caused an engine to fail on a Delta jet Sunday morning just after take off from Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

Airport spokesman Greg Myer said Delta Flight 1846 lifted off around 7:45 a.m. bound for Minneapolis with 119 passengers aboard. As the plane climbed into the sky to the east something went terribly wrong.

"We knew something had happened. We heard a loud boom," described one passenger about the noise she heard onboard as the plane was taking off.

"We were just climbing and going along and then there was a big explosion. A flash that went off," said another passenger.

The pilot informed the tower of the problem and turned back toward the airport. The plane landed safely and the passengers were put on another aircraft and arrived at their destination three and half hours later, according to Anthony Black, Delta spokesman.

FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said in the preliminary investigation investigators found that more than one of the engine's turbine blades had shot out of the rear of the engine. She said this type of malfunction is called a 'contained failure' because the blades did not penetrate the engine cover.

Myer said parts of the plane's engine were recovered by Broward Sheriff's deputies in a cargo area at Port Everglades.