Spirit Airlines‘ (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) flight NK 165 from Dallas/Fort Worth to Atlanta on Tuesday (October 15) operated with Airbus A319-132 N516NK (msn 2704) with 145 passengers and five crew members, was climbing out of DFW when the left V2500 engine exploded with a large bang. Smoke filled the passenger cabin and the cockpit prompting the flight crew to don their oxygen masks and shut the engine down. The airliner returned to DFW and made a safe emergency landing.

The V2500 engines are built by International Aero Engines, a consortium led by Pratt and Whitney.

The NTSB and the FAA are investigating. According to this report by the Seattle Times, the event was uncontained engine failure, quoting an unnamed NTSB official.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A319-132 N516NK is still painted in the old 2004 black and silver scheme.

Spirit Airlines: 

Video: