# Breaking News: Plane lands safely in CO after dropping parts **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 20, 2021, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364 "2021-02-20T21:44:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/1 "2021-02-20T21:44:40Z")
Playing on MSNBC now. A Boeing 777 turned back to the Denver airport with engine trouble. On its way to landing, parts started dropping off. From the video, it appears to be pieces of airplane skin have landed in various neighborhoods. Luckily, it appears (so far) that no one and nothing was hit either by falling debris or during the emergency landing. United Airlines is saying it appears to be an “uncontained engine failure”. DANG. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/2 "2021-02-20T21:50:08Z")
News report: > **[WATCH: Video Captures United 328 Explosion Over Broomfield, Colorado](https://heavy.com/news/united-ua-328-explosion-video-broomfield-colorado/)** > > A video captured the United (UA) 328 explosion over Broomfield, Colorado. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/3 "2021-02-20T22:10:49Z")
From the article … [![](https://heavy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/broom20.jpg?resize=687,916) ](https://heavy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/broom20.jpg?resize=687,916) Uh. Yikes. Yet another reason I tend to wear a brimmed hat when I walk with the dog. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/4 "2021-02-20T22:21:13Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > Yet another reason I tend to wear a brimmed hat when I walk with the dog. But your dog is unprotected? Bad, bad, bad hooman. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/5 "2021-02-20T22:21:39Z")
Yes, I would say that parts of the engine falling off the airplane would, indeed, qualify as “engine trouble”. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/6 "2021-02-20T23:00:28Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > But your dog is unprotected? Bad, bad, bad hooman. He’s really adroit at ring toss. He’d catch that thing (in the picture) in his mouth – no problem 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/7 "2021-02-20T23:04:37Z")
That inlet cowl would make for a nice kiddie pool, or maybe a planter. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/8 "2021-02-20T23:05:12Z")
Well shoot, I thought I scanned MPSIMS before posting in the GA thread. Here are a [video](https://mobile.twitter.com/michaelagiulia/status/1363241125495136267) from inside the cabin, showing the engine post-casualty. Glad everyone seems to be ok. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/9 "2021-02-20T23:06:02Z")
Indy 500 track for guinea pigs. [I guess you’d invert it first] ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/10 "2021-02-20T23:18:41Z")
Our modern, interconnected society… Someone’s dashcam captured the explosion, while driving around Denver. They then sent the footage to a TV station in Denver. Video [here](https://m.facebook.com/CBSDenver/videos/413332123103081). Boom at about 18 seconds in. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/11 "2021-02-20T23:22:34Z")
And I didn’t even know there was a General Aviation thread, so we’re even. And _holy **COW** _, the video of the engine was terrifying! ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/12 "2021-02-20T23:23:14Z")
> [@BrickBat](#): > > That inlet cowl would make for a nice kiddie pool, or maybe a planter. Or a [table](https://www.motoart.com/products/tables/conference-table/boeing-747-jumbo-jet-conference-table). ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/13 "2021-02-20T23:55:00Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Well shoot, I thought I scanned MPSIMS before posting in the GA thread. Is the General Aviation thread for Aviation in General or for the category called “General Aviation”, as opposed to Commercial Aviation or Military Aviation? ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/14 "2021-02-21T01:01:56Z")
That engine cowl is just a few blocks from my house. A quick walk of the yard didn’t turn up any debris, but it seems to mostly be three blocks or so north of me. I heard the boom, but didn’t think much of it. Not until a bit later when the reverse 911 stuff started going off. I got a text, two phone calls, and an email telling me to leave the debris alone. Fortunately I haven’t heard of any reported injuries on the ground or in the plane. It looks like lots of big pieces came down in the dog park and soccer fields near here, which was probably lucky as it limited property damage, though some people have reported their cars got hit. ---
**Author:** ![txtumbleweed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@txtumbleweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txtumbleweed)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/15 "2021-02-21T01:38:32Z")
[The radio calls and radar track are already up on YouTube.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7-zh7Sebr8&ab_channel=VASAviation-) The internet is fast… ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/16 "2021-02-21T01:51:22Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > That engine cowl is just a few blocks from my house. Be on the lookout for giant bunny rabbits. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/17 "2021-02-21T01:58:18Z")
Ehhh, likely GA, but do you see a commercial or aviation thread elsewhere in MPSIMS? Probably should’ve instead done a Breaking News like the OP of this thread did. Live and learn. Amazing no one got hurt, as far as we know. More Video! [This one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDUQf8Z5-60) is really creepy for me. Just watching these giant hunks of aluminum and plastic falling out of the sky. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/18 "2021-02-21T02:06:26Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Yes, I would say that parts of the engine falling off the airplane would, indeed, qualify as “engine trouble”. Back when I worked for the Navy, one of the publications we’d get from the aviation directorate of the Naval Safety Center had a section called ‘Things Falling Off Airplanes.’ It was … interesting. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/19 "2021-02-21T02:09:58Z")
When they refer to the flight as 328 heavy what does heavy mean? I’m guessing that it just took off so it is full of fuel and therefore heavier than a normal airplane its size when landing. So it will need a longer part of the runway? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364/20 "2021-02-21T02:23:44Z")
When I was stationed in Germany with an Armor unit, I had to check the morning’s message traffic and, since there were avaiation units nearby, there were the TFOA messages there. It did not make me all that sanguine about military aviation. And as soon as I saw the news headline for this incident, what came to mind was something Ron White said about being in a plane when an engine failed. He said the man sitting next to him started freaking out and asked him, “How far do you think this plane can fly on one engine?” Ron’s answer was, “All the way to the scene of the crash.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-plane-lands-safely-in-co-after-dropping-parts/933364.md?page=2)