Claim: Photograph shows an in-flight airliner with panels missing from one of its engines.
Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2004]
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Let me urge you to look out the right window. In a few minutes you will see the Grand Canyon, or the Eiffel Tower, or something. Don’t look out the left window. In fact, please pull the window shades on the left side of the airplane closed without looking out. By the way, we are offering unlimited liquor service to the passengers at no cost for the remainder of the flight.  |
Origins: The photograph displayed above was taken during an AirTran flight from Atlanta to Orlando on
As scary as this picture may look to the average air traveler, it isn’t necessarily indicative of catastrophe. A jet engine can continue functioning normally after losing portions of its engine panels (as pictured here), and even if the engine failed or had to be shut down for safety’s sake, the pilots could easily continue on to make a safe landing at the nearest airport using the remaining engine(s). In fact, the greatest danger represented by the situation pictured here is probably not damage to the engine itself, but that pieces of the ripped-off engine covers could pose a debris hazard to other portions of the airplane, particularly the tail.
A similar photograph on the airliners.net web site captures an
A BBC news article from
Last updated: 19 February 2008
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