A350 Engine Fire Linked to Faulty Fuel Hose, Investigation Finds

Hong Kong investigators reveal that a ruptured fuel hose could have caused extensive damage if not promptly addressed.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Hong Kong's Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) found that a specific cleaning process may degrade fuel manifold hoses in Rolls-Royce engines.
The incident occurred on September 2, forcing a Zurich-bound Cathay Pacific A350 to return to Hong Kong after a fire broke out in one of the engines.
Investigators discovered a hole in the fuel hose and signs of a fire, leading to the grounding of Cathay Pacific's entire fleet of 48 Airbus A350 aircraft for inspections.
Cathay Pacific canceled nearly 100 flights and replaced components on 15 of its A350 planes following the incident.
Other airlines, including Japan Airlines, are conducting similar inspections on their A350 fleets, and EASA has mandated a one-time fleet inspection for some A350 models.