An Avianca Ecuador Airbus A319-100, registration HC-CSB performing flight AV-1685 from Galapagos Islands to Quito (Ecuador), was climbing through FL160 out of Galapagos when the crew strong noise and a metallic sound, felt high vibrations and observed the right-hand engine’s (CFM56) N2 drop to zero. The crew reduced the engine to idle, subsequently shut it down and returned to Galapagos Islands for a safe landing.
Ecuador’s Civil Aviation Authority rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation.
