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Early on, witnesses and investigators confirmed that the number one engine had come off the aircraft while airborne, roughly around 500 feet in altitude. The NTSB verified that the aircraft never reached the 400-foot height indicated by ADS-B data, suggesting a discrepancy often seen on the ground. The engine’s detachment was confirmed by recovered parts stored in a warehouse as part of the investigation, demonstrating the thoroughness with which the NTSB approaches such incidents.
Potential Causes of Engine Separation
There are two primary hypotheses regarding why the engine separated: