Disputed Blade Failure Claim -Independent RCA for Claims and Liability Assessment
Challenge
Following a blade break incident, a disputed insurance claim arose with multiple stakeholders presenting differing interpretations of the technical causation leaving the insurer without a reliable basis to assess liability or progress the claim. The insurer required an independent technical assessment to clarify the failure mechanism, determine whether the event was isolated or indicative of a wider fleet risk, and establish a defensible position for claim resolution.
Solution
Bladena performed an independent root cause analysis (RCA), delivered without commercial ties to any of the parties involved. The investigation combined specialist blade structural assessment with operational evidence to determine the underlying failure mechanism and isolate the true cause of failure – going beyond surface-level damage interpretation.
Key elements included:
- Failure mechanism identification
- Load–damage correlation
- Design envelope assessment
- Manufacturing indicator review
- Evidence-based hypothesis elimination
The analysis showed that the observed failure characteristics were consistent with operational loading outside the defined design envelope, while manufacturing quality indicators were found to be in line with specification requirements.
Impact
The RCA provided the insurer with a clear, unbiased and technically substantiated basis for claim evaluation, liability discussions and stakeholder alignment in a complex, high-value disputed claim.
Key outcomes:
- Clear causation narrative, defensible under scrutiny
- Improved liability clarity
- Reduced uncertainty in claims decisions
- Faster claim resolution and reduced dispute complexity
- Stronger negotiation position in stakeholder discussions
- Better visibility of fleet-level risk, supporting future exposure assessment
Beyond the immediate case, the findings also supported a better understanding of underlying failure drivers, helping to reduce the risk of incorrect attribution and strengthening confidence in future risk, future exposure assessment and fleet-level risk evaluation.