Kalitta 747 engine flames at East Midlands airport

DHL / KALITTA AIR B747-446 N743CK (MSN 26350)     File Photo

A Kalitta Air Boeing 747 cargo aircraft has been seen emitting an impressive burst of flame from the back of its number three engine. The aircraft was landing in East Midlands Airport (EMA/EGNX) in the UK from Leipzig (LEJ/EDDP) in Germany when the incident occurred. The aircraft and its occupants were unharmed by the event.

Cargo carrier Kalitta Air is a regular at East Midlands Airport in the UK. Data from RadarBox.com shows that the airline’s cargo planes touch down on average 1.4 times per day, making EMA the airline’s 25th most visited destination. Most frequently flown into the airport is Kalitta’s Boeing 747-400, of which it has 24.

One of its 747-400s, registered N741CK, was performing flight K4-330 from Leipzig in Germany to East Midlands Airport yesterday. This is typically a tag flight between Leipzig and Los Angeles, with EMA providing a brief stop for cargo exchanges before the aircraft continues on to the USA. The Boeing 747 typically spends just a couple of hours on the ground in the UK before taking off again for Los Angeles.

But last Wednesday's flight did not end up making its final leg to the US. As the aircraft approached EMA, buffeted by high winds and in heavy rain, it made a safe, if slightly crabby, landing on the runway. But as it engaged its reverse thrusters, the number three engine backfired, emitting a momentary burst of flame from the back.

The moment was caught on camera by local spotter Tony Johnson. Tony commented that he thought the engine ingested something on landing, which could have been a bird or debris on the runway. He noted that the aircraft emitted a loud bang at the moment of the backfire.

It’s a blow for Kalitta, as the 747 is still on the ground in EMA, reportedly with its engine covers open. Right now, it’s a very busy time for cargo movers, with Kalitta operating 45% more flights this month than it did in 2019. The loss of one of its Queens will be disruptive to its busy schedule. Hopefully it will be back in the air soon.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Kalitta Air

Code: K4/CKS

Aircraft: Boeing 747-4HS

Registration: N741CK

Serial Number: 24315

Engines: 4 x GE CF6-80C2B1F
First Flew: 1st October 1989
Age: 32 Yrs

Story sourced from here
Kalitta Boeing 747 Sees Engine Flames At East Midlands Airport - Simple Flying