Engine failure, Kununurra Airport, Western Australia, on 29 December 2006, VH-FNP, Embraer EMB-110P2 Bandeirante

On 29 December 2006 at 1330 Western Daylight-saving Time, an Embraer EMB-110P2 Bandeirante aircraft, registered VH-FNP, departed Kununurra Airport, WA, enroute to Argyle. The aircraft was being operated on a charter flight with two pilots and one passenger onboard. The pilots later reported that, during climb out following take-off, while passing through 500 ft above ground level, the right engine lost power. The pilots confirmed the power loss, completed emergency procedures, that included shutting down the right engine, and returned to Kununurra Airport. There were no injuries to the flight crew or passenger and no damage to the aircraft.

Subsequent examination of the engine compressor turbine (CT) blades from the engine indicated that they had been subjected to a 'high temperature creep' event, leading to stress rupture of the CT blade assembly.

The investigation could not determine when the engine had sustained the localised high temperature heating of the compressor turbine components.