ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82) N454AA Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, MO (STL)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Friday 28 September 2007
Time:13:13
Type:Silhouette image of generic MD82 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82)
Operator:American Airlines
Registration: N454AA
MSN: 49559/1460
First flight: 1988
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 138
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 143
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Aircraft fate: Repaired
Location:Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, MO (STL) (   United States of America)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, MO (STL/KSTL), United States of America
Destination airport:Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL (ORD/KORD), United States of America
Flightnumber:AA1400
Narrative:
American Airlines flight 1400, a DC-9-82, N454AA, experienced an in-flight engine fire during departure climb from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL). During the return to STL, the nose landing gear failed to extend, and the flight crew executed a go-around, during which the crew extended the nose gear using the emergency procedure. The flight crew conducted an emergency landing, and the 2 flight crewmembers, 3 flight attendants, and 138 passengers deplaned on the runway. No occupant injuries were reported, but the airplane sustained substantial damage due to the fire.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was American Airlines’ maintenance personnel’s use of an inappropriate manual engine start procedure, which led to the uncommanded opening of the left engine air turbine starter valve, and a subsequent left engine fire, which was prolonged by the flight crew’s interruption of an emergency checklist to perform nonessential tasks. Contributing to the accident were deficiencies in American Airlines’ Continuing Analysis and Surveillance System program."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 6 months
Accident number: NTSB AAR-09/03
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Engine fire
Forced landing on runway

Sources:
» SKYbrary 
» NTSB


Follow-up / safety actions

NTSB issued 9 Safety Recommendations

Show all...

Photos

photo of DC-9-82-N454AA
accident date: 28-09-2007
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82
registration: N454AA
photo of DC-9-82-N454AA
accident date: 28-09-2007
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82
registration: N454AA
photo of DC-9-82-N454AA
accident date: 28-09-2007
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82
registration: N454AA
photo of DC-9-82-N454AA
accident date: 28-09-2007
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82
registration: N454AA
photo of DC-9-82-N454AA
accident date: 28-09-2007
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82
registration: N454AA
 

Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, MO to Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL as the crow flies is 412 km (258 miles).

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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