A Jet2 Boeing 757, carrying out a test flight in Manchester, United Kingdom, suffered an engine issue during the climbing phase. The loud bang and flames emitted by one of the engines are suspected to be due to a bird strike.
The Boeing 575-200, registered G-LSAN, took off from Manchester International Airport (MAN) for a test flight on August 10, 2020. As it was climbing, a loud bang was heard and flames were seen coming from the right-hand Rolls-Royce RB211 by ground witnesses.
The plane flew in large circles above the western part of Manchester to burn off fuel and avoid landing heavy. It landed back at its departing airport 26 minutes after takeoff and was met by emergency services.
“One of our aircraft on a routine test flight followed procedure and returned to Manchester Airport this afternoon, after the crew reported a minor fault,” a Jet2 spokesperson said in a statement. “The aircraft landed safely and will be thoroughly checked over, as is standard practice.” While the incident is suspected to have been caused by a bird strike, the exact reason has not been confirmed yet.
At the time of publication, the aircraft is still on the ground at Manchester airport.