Qantas has won the right to sue Rolls-Royce in Australia after air investigators found a faulty oil pipe was the likely cause of an engine explosion on one of its A380s.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Martin Dolan told reporters if it had not been for the actions of the crew, the flight would not have returned safely to Singapore.
He said the incident was the result of "an uncontained engine failure", which saw a loose disc shear through the left wing and other parts of the aircraft, “resulting in significant structural and systems damage to the aircraft”.
Dolan said it was not absolutely certain the pipe was the cause of the problem but said the flaw in the pipe’s manufacturing was "significant enough it needs to be dealt with".
In a statement, Qantas said, "The report has confirmed the seriousness of the incident and that, in spite of damage to some systems and components, the pilots retained control of the aircraft at all times and were able to land safely."
Two A380s have returned to service with Qantas voluntarily applying a range of conditions that include not operating the aircraft across the Pacific until further operational experience has been gathered.
A Federal Court yesterday agreed Qantas could preserve its right to sue Rolls-Royce under Australia’s Trade Practices Act, heading off any bid by the engine manufacturer to shift the matter to British courts if settlement talks break down.
