Delta engine comes apart inflight

All the TV commentators are talking "engine failure" but the engine is the only thing that DIDN'T FAIL. It kept running just fine while the hub nose cone was bouncing around on the blades. Certainly there was some issue with the hot shaft.

 

why did not they return to ATL?

 

But why did the hub nose cone fail/fall off the end of the shaft? Brg failure causing an imbalance? Regardless it is still part of the engine. Fortunate that they could shut it down quickly so a fan blade failure was prevented.

 

The entire N1 fan is gone.

 

That's one hot bearing !!
It may not have started as an "engine" failure (assuming the hub cone just detached).
But once the cone started knocking blade bits into the engine, it sure ended that way.
There's blade bits and damage all the way through.

 

I agree. That's what I said, also. J. Curry mentioned bearing failure and imbalance could be the cause of the nose cone departing the hub..

 

Do you think it was still "running" at this point or just windmilling? Had to have automatically tripped, shutting off fuel as soon as the first blade came off, or?
Nice view of the first row of stationary blades with the rotating blades out of the way...

 

Why is the MD88 even in service...it's 2019...

 

They're being replaced by 737-800s and -900s (fortunately for Delta, not MAXs) as those arrive in the fleet.