TWA Jumbo Jet Returns to London After Engine Fails

A TWA jumbo jet en route to Copenhagen turned back to London and made an emergency landing today because one of its four Pratt & Whitney engines failed in flight.

Fire engines and ambulances lined the runway at Heathrow Airport as TWA Flight 754 with 94 passengers on board made a safe landing. Emergency vehicles followed the Boeing 747 as it taxied to the terminal.

Airport and airline officials said the plane had arrived earlier from Boston with 309 passengers.

It had just taken off for the Danish capital when the outer left engine failed. Officials said the captain was forced to shut it down and return to Heathrow.

The plane’s pilot, Capt. Donald K. Stitt, said the problem was caused by the failure of one of the turbines in the JT9D engines.

One of the passengers, Harvey Webb of Seal Island, Calif., who was flying to Copenhagen with his wife, Phyllis, said, “There was an explosion from the No. 1 engine and a lot of flames.

“The fire was steady and it was several seconds before it died down. . . . It was quite a shock but there was no panic. The aircraft didn’t pitch or roll and everyone sat watching the engine wondering what was going to happen.”

On Aug. 22, a Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15 engine on a British Airtours Boeing 737 exploded as the plane was about to take off from Manchester Airport, engulfing the rear of the plane in flames. Fifty-five people aboard died.