Plain English Meaning

Damage caused when something gets sucked into a jet engine and hits the spinning parts inside. It can be anything from a small stone on the runway to a bird or a forgotten tool — and even small items can do serious harm.

Full Definition

Damage to a turbine engine caused by external objects being ingested into the intake during ground or flight operations. Common sources include stones, runway debris, loose hardware, ice, birds, and even tools or rags left near the aircraft. Because turbine engines draw in large volumes of air at high velocity, even small objects can strike the rotating compressor blades and cause nicks, dents, cracks, or catastrophic blade failure.