Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Durango, Colorado 81301
Saturday, March 13, 1999 15:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was cruising at 41,000 feet msl when the crew noticed low fuel flow and low EGT readings on the left engine. They further noted that the oil temperature and fuel temperature gauges began to rise on the same engine. They requested clearance to descend, and as the captain reduced the throttle, the fire light on the left engine illuminated. He pulled the left fire T-handle and the fire light extinguished. The crew secured the engine, requested emergency equipment be standing by in Durango, and landed without further incidence. Postaccident examination revealed that the lower forward area of the left engine nacelle was damaged by fire. Further examination revealed that an electrical wire coming from an alternator in the engine had been chaffing against the number four fuel line.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the number four fuel line. Factors were the chaffing of the alternator's electrical wires on the number four fuel line, and the subsequent fire in the number one engine nacelle.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/13/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City DURANGO
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81301
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5011
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 14 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1158
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:26AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N411WW
NTSB Number DEN99IA053
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Gulfstream
Aircraft Model G-IV
Aircraft Series Identifier G-IV
Aircraft Serial Number 1121
Certified Max Gross Weight 73200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 0
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5196
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ZENO AIR INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5130 W. 63RD. ST.
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60638
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SBA
Departure City SANTA BARBARA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MDW
Destination City CHICAGO
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --