Paint discoloration (above the O) of the cowling of the WestJet Encore aircraft, which the TSB says is indicative of high temperatures caused by the engine fire. (Image Credit: TSB Canada/Contributed)

By Victor Kaisar

Emergency Landing

Investigation blames fractured rotor blade for Westjet’s diverted Kamloops-to-Calgary flight in 2023

Sep 22, 2026 | 10:34 AM

KAMLOOPS — The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada says a fractured rotor blade forced a 2023 WestJet Encore flight bound for Calgary to divert to Kelowna shortly after takeoff from Kamloops.

In a report released Tuesday (Sept. 22), the TSB said the De Havilland DHC-8-402 plane left Kamloops Airport on March 2, 2023 with 78 people on board – 74 passengers and four crew members. According to flight tracking websites, the plane departed around 3:12 p.m., and it landed safely in Kelowna around 4:45 p.m.

“As the aircraft transitioned from climb to cruise, an engine fire warning sounded in the cockpit of the aircraft,” the TSB said in a statement. “One of the engines, manufactured by Pratt & Whitney Canada, experienced a surge and a subsequent fire in the exhaust duct.”

“The crew declared an emergency, shut down the affected engine, and diverted to Kelowna Airport, where they conducted a single-engine landing.”

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While there were no injuries reported, the TSB said the engine “was substantially damaged.”

“The investigation found that the engine surge was caused by a fractured rotor blade in the engine compressor, which led to a loss of power,” the TSB added. “The engine control system responded by increasing the fuel flow in an attempt to recover power. As a result, excess unburned fuel entered the exhaust stream, where it ignited and caused the exhaust duct fire.”

Evidence of the engine fire in the WestJet Encore aircraft. (Image Credit: TSB Canada/Contributed)

Broken mounting bracket in the engine Fuel Heater Oil Cooler (FHOC) unit of the WestJet Encore aircraft. (Image Credit: TSB Canada/Contributed)

The TSB added Pratt & Whitney Canada, De Havilland and WestJet Encore moved to implement inspection, monitoring, software and operational changes to reduce the risk of rotor blade failures. It also noted that these inspections identified two other engines with fractured compressor rotor blades.

WestJet also said all of the affected passengers were rebooked onto alternate flights to Calgary in the days following the incident.

by Victor Kaisar

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Investigation blames fractured rotor blade for Westjet’s diverted Kamloops-to-Calgary flight in 2023

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