EU orders Airbus A350 inspections after Cathay engine fire

Europe's aviation safety agency said Thursday it will require inspection of at least a part of the fleet of Airbus A350 wide-body jets in operation after an engine fire on a Cathay Pacific flight.

Rolls-Royce, which makes the engines on Cathay's A350s, confirmed it was launching "a one-time precautionary engine inspection programme" and was "working very closely" with the EU agency.

Hong Kong-based Cathay, one of the largest operators of the long-haul A350 jetliner, grounded 48 planes for checks on Monday after a Zurich-bound flight had to return to the city shortly after take-off.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said Thursday that the Cathay aircraft suffered an engine failure due to a high pressure fuel hose failing.

"An A350-1041 aircraft operated by Cathay Pacific on flight CX383 from Hong Kong to Zurich experienced an in-flight engine fire shortly after take-off," EASA said, adding the fire was "promptly detected and extinguished."

The agency said the incident was the subject of a safety investigation led by the Air Accident Investigation Authority of Hong Kong (AAIA).

EASA added it is taking "precautionary measures to prevent any further similar occurrence."

That will take the form of "a one-time fleet inspection, which may be applicable only to a portion of the A350 fleet."

EASA said the inspections would seek to "identify and remove from service any potentially compromised high pressure fuel hoses".

It added the compliance time frame was still being determined and would be detailed later Thursday in an EASA Emergency Airworthiness Directive.