About 1140 eastern daylight savings time on September 22, 1981, the No. 2 engine, a Rolls-Royce RB- 211-22B, failed as Eastern Airlines Flight 935, a Lockheed L-1011-385 (N309 EA), was climbing through 10,000 feet after departing Newark International Airport, Newark, New Jersey, for San Juan, Puerto Rico. The displacement of the fan module in the course of the engine failure sequence caused loss of hydraulic systems A, B, and D and jammed the captain's and first officer's rudder pedals in the neutral position. The flight crew performed the appropriate emergency procedures, requested an immediate landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Jamaica, New York, and dumped about 48,000 pounds of fuel. The aircraft, with 11 crewmembers and 190 passengers aboard, landed on runway 22L at 1212 EDT without further incident. No one aboard was injured, and there was no damage to property or injury to persons on the ground. The aircraft was substantially damaged.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was thermally induced degradation and consequent failure of the No. 2 engine low pressure location bearing because of inadequate lubrication. Oil leaks between the abutment faces of the intermediate pressure compressor rear stubshaft and the low pressure location bearing oil weir and between the intermediate pressure location bearing inner front flange and the intermediate pressure compressor rear stubshaft reduced the lubricating oil flow to the low pressure location bearing which increased operational temperatures, reduced bearing assembly clearance, and allowed heat to build up in the bearing's balls and cage. The bearing failure allowed lubricating oil to spray forward into the low pressure fan shaft area where it ignited into a steady fire; the fire overheated the fan shaft and the fan fail-safe shaft both of which failed, allowing the fan module to move forward and break through the No. 2 engine duct. This caused extensive damage to the aircraft's structure and flight control systems. The oil leaks were most likely caused by poor mating of the abutment surfaces.