Here we have two videos, found via The Register, of a wind turbine generator failing catastrophically in high winds in Denmark.

The wind turbine in the videos has apparently failed to ‘feather’ it’s blades and has subsequently got into an overspeed condition. Engineers had been sent out to attempt to stop the turbine but they had [wisely] retired to a safe distance when they realised that it would be too dangerous to work on the turbine. They did, however, leave their van underneath and it nearly gets flattened by the generator head.

There’s quite a bang just as the blades separate. I’d be interested to know whether it’s just the sound of the stress failure or if the blade tips actually went supersonic at the moment of failure.

The turbine was 60 meters (~200 feet) high and was located at Hornslet near Aarhus. The Danish Climate Minister has ordered an investigation into the failure of this turbine and another turbine earlier in the week.

Both videos show the same turbine failing.