A probe into potential manufacturing flaws in Airbus A380 jet engines could take place after debris was found in an ice sheet in Greenland.
Checks could be ordered on dozens of planes two years after an Air France A380 engine exploded mid-air in September 2017.
None of the passengers on board were hurt in the explosion and the aircraft was still able to land at Canadian air force base Goose Bay.
The recently salvaged piece of the plane had been buried in Greenland's ice sheet when one of four engines on flight 66 abruptly disintegrated en route from Paris to Los Angeles, according to the .
The titanium part is the centrepiece of a three-metre-wide fan on engines built for the world's largest airliner by US-based Engine Alliance, which is co-owned by General Electric and United Technologies unit Pratt & Whitney.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says 380 operators which use Engine Alliance GP7200 engines will be required to inspect parts of the engines for cracking and wear.
The FAA told : "This AD was prompted by an uncontained failure of the engine fan hub. The FAA is issuing this AD to detect defects, damage, and cracks that could result in an uncontained failure of the engine fan hub assembly.
"The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in uncontained failure of the engine fan hub assembly, damage to the engine, and damage to the airplane."
Most Read
Following a microscopic analysis, Engine Alliance is expected to order airlines to carry out checks for any flaws on similar parts in its engines, which power some 60 percent of the 237 A380s in service.
A spokesperson for Airbus said: "We’re cooperating with the investigators which include the BEA and the FAA as well as Engine Alliance (the engine manufacturer)."
As well as Air France, other airlines operating the A380 with Engine Alliance powerplants include Dubai's Emirates, Qatar Airways, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad and Korean Air.
Engine Alliance is one of two engine suppliers for the Airbus A380 in competition with Britain's Rolls-Royce.
It is not yet clear what checks would be required nor whether it could involve taking planes out of service outside usual maintenance schedules.
Investigations are not yet complete and are likely to tackle other factors such as the loads or physical forces at play on the engine and the giant double-decker jet's wing structure.
A spokesperson for Engine Alliance said: "Engine Alliance is already performing inspections and maintenance in accordance with the 15 August FAA Airworthiness directive. We are supporting our customers and coordinating with them to ensure the process is completed timely."
The company said it would not address questions regarding the investigation as it was still ongoing.