Updated on August 13, 2019, to include comment from the victim.
Engine fragments of a Norwegian Boeing 787 fell from the sky shortly after takeoff from Fiumicino airport in Rome, Italy, damaging houses, roofs, and cars. One person was injured in the incident.
Norwegian Boeing 787-8 (reg. LN-LND) operating flight DY-7115 from Rome Fiumicino International Airport (FCO) to Los Angeles (LAX) suffered engine failure after takeoff on August 10, 2019, forcing the aircraft to turn back to the airport and perform an emergency landing.
The Dreamliner landed safely and none of the 298 passengers on board the flight were injured. However, fragments of one of the engines spilled over an area of the city of Fiumicino, damaging houses, roofs and cars.
One person was injured by the falling debris. The victim said: “Hundreds of those pieces fell, boiling. One of them hit me on the right side. I got slightly burned,” as reported in AdnKronos.
Fiumincino’s mayor, Esterino Montino, confirmed the incident in a Facebook post:
Norwegian spokesperson told AeroTime: “Flight DY7115 from Rome Fiumicino (FCO) to Los Angeles (LAX) experienced a technical issue a few minutes after take-off. The aircraft returned to the airport where it landed safely.”
“The safety of our customers and crew is always our main priority. We are actively working with Aeroporti di Roma and the Italian authorities in the investigation. Because of this, we cannot comment any further on the specific aspects of this event,” the spokesperson added.
The Boeing 787 in question is powered by Trent Rolls-Royce 1000 engines, according to Planespotters.com data. The company also provided an explanation for the incident:
“We are aware of the event and are working with our customer to provide support and technical assistance. We are committed to working closely with the airline, aircraft manufacturer and the relevant authorities to support their investigation,” the Rolls-Royce’s spokesperson told AeroTime.