On 3 November 2015 a DHL Cargo Boeing 757 registered D-ALEF (now G-BIKR) lost a part of the aircraft just after take-off from Brussels Airport with destination Leipzig. The missing piece was found later in a garden. The Belgian air accident investigation unit launched a safety investigation report.
A person living close to Liège airport found an aircraft part in his garden at the begin of April 2016 (the exact date is unknown). After 3 weeks, he called the police, that took the part and contacted the airport of Liege (EBLG), located nearby. The place where the part was found is located in the extension of runway 23L of EBLG, at a distance of 6 km from the end of the runway. The airport inspection services determined, with the help of aircraft mechanics, that the part was indeed an aircraft part coming most probably from a Rolls Royce RB211-535C engine. The part bore the part number (P/N) LJ71687, identified as a panel from a reverser door. The part’s dimensions are 57 cm x 21 cm.
The part was inspected and the part number written on the body could allow the identification of a Thrust Reverser Unit (TRU) rear latch access door (P/N: LJ71687 ) from a Rolls Royce RB211-535C. Investigation with Rolls Royce and the concerned operators established that the latch access door was detached from RB211-535C Engine ESN 30083 installed on the N°2 position of a B757-200 aircraft operated by DHL during a flight from EBBR to EDDP (Leipzig Halle) on 3 November 2015.
The aircraft records show that this part was found missing on 4 November 2015 and had to be replaced. The part was sent to Rolls Royce for detailed inspection. After a thorough inspection of the part, Rolls Royce issued a report (ASI 0040 Issue 01 – dated 12/05/2017).
Full detailed report: https://mobilit.belgium.be/sites/default/files/downloads/accidents/2016-03-final_report.pdf
In an initial report, it was mentioned that the aircraft had taken off from Liège Airport (EBLG) with destination Berlin Tegel (EDDT). This has now been corrected in the final report. See The Aviation Herald for more details: http://avherald.com/h?article=4b0691d8&opt=0
