I am on AA flight 366 and as we took off I heard a huge bang. The engine right by my seat went out and we experienced some turbulence before we landed back where we started from in Chicago.
The plane seemed very unstable in the very windy Chicago sky.
I can speak for most of the cabin when I say we were all very nervous and sweating until the captain made a super smooth landing with the single remaining engine.
When we landed we were greeted by a number of fire trucks and firemen.
Let's just say this was a life altering experience and I may post more on the subject later.
Thanks to the flight crew who got us on the ground safely.
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Wow!!! I guess I can't complain having to fly on a different flight schedule than you and Greg. Unfortunately, my flight out of vegas was delayed 2 1/2 hours due to "technical issues" which caused me to miis my flight to NY. Due to the monsoon hitting Dallas the flight I was able to get on has now been delayed twice totaling 3 hours. I am scheduled to arrive in NY at 11:11, so if I look realy tired and grumpy tomorrow, I hope you will understand
I was on this crazy flight. All I could think of was if the pilot crashes the plane into the lake- maybe I'll survive if the impact isn't too hard. Amazing how we really do not know what happened. I wonder how many times this happens because we only hear about the ones that actually do not make it.
As I understand it there were mechanical problems (obviously). One of the blades in the engine had a problem is what i was told by a fellow passenger. That would make sense but I have little knowledge of how jet engines work other than Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazine reading.
Essentially these engines are giant fans with fuel and air mixed into them. Obviously there is more to it than than that. A loose blade would make sense since the noise sounded like something in the engine got stuck or lodged.
Having said that, i would prefer this be a theoretical discussion and not something I/we witnessed firsthand.