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NTSB to investigative Boeing 787 engine failure

By the CNN Wire Staff
updated 5:03 PM EDT, Tue July 31, 2012
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • A Boeing 787 experiences engine failure during a test in South Carolina
  • No injuries are reported
  • The highly anticipated 787 Dreamliner debuted last year

Washington (CNN) -- Investigators are looking into a recent engine failure on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday.

The failure occurred during a taxi test in Charleston, South Carolina. No passengers were aboard the aircraft and no injuries were reported. However, the failure did cause a small brush fire and left debris on the runway at Charleston International Airport, the safety board said.

Boeing debuted the 787 Dreamliner late last year. It was three years overdue and billions of dollars over on budget.

It was much anticipated at the time, promising to revolutionize air travel. The 787 Dreamliner is the first commercial airliner to be made mostly of carbon composites or super-durable plastic. The materials are light and the plane requires less fuel than conventional airliners.

The plane also features a number of design updates like larger, dimmable windows and bigger bins.

Safety board investigators will travel to a General Electric facility in Cincinnati to examine the engine that failed, the board said. General Electric was the engine manufacturer.

Boeing, General Electric and the Federal Aviation Administration are all parties to the investigation.

CNN's Mike Ahlers contributed to this report.

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