American Airlines mechanics, federal investigators and representatives of Pratt & Whitney will examine the engine forced an American jet to make an emergency landing Wednesday morning at John F. Kennedy Intl Airport in New York. The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 suffered an engine failure shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport. None of the 88 passengers or five crewmembers were hurt in the incident. Early indications point to an object other than a bird being sucked into the engine, damaging the fan blades. According to the Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the details, the aircraft had a history of engine problems. Mechanics and pilots who flew the aircraft identified issues with fuel usage between the two engines, according to maintenance records. One person familiar with the details told the WSJ that replacement parts had been ordered, but for various reasons they were not installed prior to the Wednesday flight. But on Thursday American defended the maintenance of the aircraft, stating that mechanics performed all required safety inspections without finding any issues with the engine.
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