Summary
- A 767-300ER diverted to Bangor resulting from engine issues during transatlantic flight, landing safely at 4:22 am.
- Engine problem caused slowdown over Nova Scotia, resulting in diversion. Omni Air serves Department of Defense frequently.
- Engine rollback on #1 reported, prompting maintenance inspection. Engine failures, though unusual, can occur for various reasons.
A 767-300ER operating for Omni Air International diverted to Bangor, Maine, after suffering engine problems, which prevented the aircraft from proceeding on its planned Atlantic crossing within the early morning hours of March eleventh. The flight landed safely at Bangor International Airport (BGR) at 4:22 am.
The flight had begun at 1:35 am when Omni Air International flight 1911 departed Baltimore Washington International (BWI) for Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. The flight was routine for Omni Air International, because the service, together with its parent company ATSG, frequently operates aircraft for the US—Department of Defense.
Flight 1911 that day can be operated by N468AX, a 22-year-old 767-300ER that was originally delivered to Royal Air Maroc, where it operated for 18 years on lease from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) before that company would grow to be AerCap. N468AX is supplied with two CF6-80 engines, with each engine capable of manufacturing a maximum of 63,500 Lbs of thrust at sea level, in keeping with the engine manufacturer.
Engine failures, while unusual, are also not unheard of. Between March and September, numerous aircraft types and airlines were affected by engine failures, and there was quite a lot of reasons behind each event. Certainly one of these failures occurred on a 767 operating for Delta Air Lines. That aircraft was forced to return to Prague.
While facing engine problems for one among the airline’s aircraft, the charter airline can also be facing difficulties with its pilot Union. In February, the Omni Air Teamsters pilot union voted to authorize a strike, citing substandard contracts for its aircrews.
The airline had previously been chartered to operate flights between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Manchester International Airport (MAN) on behalf of Air Canada when the airline found itself in need of pilots and aircraft for the route. Those charter flights lasted from July to October 2023.