ASL Airlines Belgium Boeing 747-400 freighter departs Liege airport but enters holding pattern north of Belgium

On the morning of 12 December, an ASL Airlines Belgium Boeing 747-400 (registered OE-IFD) operated cargo flight 3V815 between Liege, Belgium, and Hangzhou, China. Shortly after take-off, however, the aircraft levelled off at 5,000 feet. The pilots reported a “pan pan” emergency explaining to air traffic control that they had a technical problem and could not continue to Hangzhou.

The aircraft climbed to 13,000 feet and entered a holding pattern north of Belgium to dump fuel. The plane then diverted to Frankfurt Hahn airport, Germany, for maintenance reasons. Meanwhile, the Boeing 747 safely landed at the German airport.

A post flight inspection revealed that engine number 2 ingested FOD (foreign object damage) resulting in damage to intake and blades.