TSB says fractured rotor blade caused WestJet emergency landing in Kelowna

The Transportation Safety Board says a fractured rotor blade triggered an engine fire that forced a WestJet aircraft to land in Kelowna, B.C., in March 2023. The incident involved a WestJet De Havilland Dash 8400 flying from Kamloops to Calgary with 74 passengers and four crew members on board. As the plane reached cruising speed, the cockpit received an engine fire warning. The crew declared an emergency, shut down the engine, and diverted to Kelowna, where the aircraft landed safely on one engine. The TSB said the damaged rotor blade caused a surge and loss of power in the engine compressor, which led the control system to increase fuel flow and start the fire. In response, Pratt & Whitney Canada, De Havilland Aircraft and WestJet Encore Ltd. introduced inspections aimed at reducing the risk of similar blade failures, and WestJet later found two more engines with fractured compressor rotor blades.