Questions Surround MD-80 Incident

American Airlines says an engine failure on a MD-80 may have been caused by “an object” sucked into the engine, possibly on an earlier flight. A detailed inspection of the Pratt & Whitney powerplant is underway. But The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, said the MD-80 had a history of engine problems and hadn't received followup work after earlier discrepancies were spotted. American Air says all required maintenance had been performed on the engine.

The MD-80 landed safely at New York’s Kennedy International on March 11 after the No. 2 engine failed, dropping metal debris onto a home. No injuries were reported, either on the aircraft or the ground. The flight deck crew reported a loud noise just after takeoff. American Air Flight 309 had left New York's LaGuardia Airport for Chicago. It was quickly diverted to Kennedy Airport. The plane had 88 passengers and a crew of five on board. Turbine blades were found embedded in the tail section of the twinjet.