ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 364084
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| Date: | Sunday 12 January 1992 |
| Time: | 16:18 LT |
| Type: |  de Havilland Canada DHC-8-102 |
| Owner/operator: | USAir Express |
| Registration: | N923HA |
| MSN: | 99 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 9965 hours |
| Engine model: | P&W PW120A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 33 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | Baltimore, MD -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | |
| Charlottesville, VA | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
AS THE GEAR & FLAPS WERE RETRACTED AFTER TAKEOFF, THE #1 ENGINE LOW FUEL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AT ABOUT 400' AGL, A "LOUD BANG" WAS HEARD FOLLOWED BY A #1 ENGINE FIRE WARNING INDICATION. THE ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN & BOTH FIRE EXTINGUISHING BOTTLES WERE DISCHARGED. THE FLIGHTCREW EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR BY USING THE ALTERNATE SYSTEM & MADE A NO-FLAP EMERGENCY LANDING. THEY USED EMERGENCY BRAKES, BUT DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST & THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY & STOPPED WITH THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED. AN EXAM OF THE #1 ENGINE AREA REVEALED A FAILED LOW FUEL PRESSURE WARNING SWITCH SNUBBER & FIRE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, NACELLE & WHEELWELL. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT DURING INSTALLATION, THE LOW FUEL PRESSURE WARNING SWITCH SNUBBER WAS TORSIONALLY DEFORMED, THEN FATIGUE & SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OCCURRED. GAPS IN THE FIREWALL ALLOWED LEAKING FUEL (SPRAY) TO ENTER THE HOT SECTION & IGNITE. THIS RESULTED IN AN EXPLOSION & FIRE. FIRE PROPAGATION RESULTED IN BURNED WIRES TO THE #1 STANDBY HYDRAULIC PUMP & A RUPTERED #2 SYSTEM HYDRAULIC LINE.
Probable Cause: IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE LOW FUEL PRESSURE WARNING SWITCH SNUBBER ON THE #1 ENGINE, RESULTING IN FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE SNUBBER, A FUEL LEAK (SPRAY), AND SUBSEQUENT EXPLOSION/FIRE DAMAGE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE INCIDENT WAS: INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE FIREWALL, WHICH ALLOWED FUEL VAPORS TO MIGRATE TO THE HOT SECTION OF THE ENGINE.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB BFO92IA017
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 19-Mar-2024 09:17 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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