Hartsfield International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlanta, Georgia 30349
Thursday, June 8, 1995 19:08 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

As ValuJet Flight 597 began its takeoff roll, a 'loud Bang' was heard by the occupants, the right engine fire warning light illuminated, the crew of a following airplane reported to the ValuJet crew that the right engine was on fire, and the takeoff was rejected. Shrapnel from the right engine penetrated the fuselage and the right engine main fuel line, and a cabin fire erupted. The airplane was stopped on the runway, and the captain ordered evacuation of the airplane. A flight attendant (F/A) received serious puncture wounds from shrapnel and thermal injuries; another F/A and 5 passengers received minor injuries. Investigation revealed that an uncontained failure of the right engine had occurred due to fatigue failure of its 7th stage high compressor disc. The fatigue originated at a stress redistribution hole in the disc. Analysis of fatigue striation measurements indicated that the fatigue crack had originated before the disc was last overhauled at a repair station (Turk Hava Yollari) in 1991, but was not detected. Also, investigation of the repair station revealed evidence concerning a lack of adequate recordkeeping and a failure to use 'process sheets' to document the step-by-step overhaul/inspection procedures. (See NTSB/AAR-96/03 for additional information)

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of Turk Hava Yollari maintenance and inspection personnel to perform a proper inspection of a 7th stage high compressor disc, thus allowing the detectable crack to grow to a length at which the disc ruptured, under normal operating conditions, propelling engine fragments into the fuselage; the fragments severed the right engine main fuel line, which resulted in a fire that rapidly engulfed the cabin area. The lack of an adequate recordkeeping system and the failure to use 'process sheets' to document the step-by-step overhaul/inspection procedures contributed to the failure to detect the crack and, thus, to the accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/8/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1908
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ATLANTA
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30349
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HARTSFIELD INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ATL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation 1026
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 6
Injury Total None 55
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 7
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1896
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 8 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N908VJ
NTSB Number ATL95MA106
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Douglas
Aircraft Model DC-9-32
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9-32
Aircraft Serial Number 47321
Certified Max Gross Weight 109000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 118
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jun 2 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 630
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VALUJET AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1800 PHOENIX BLVD
Aircraft Owner City ATLANTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30320
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 VJ6A
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code ATL
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1907
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MIA
Destination City MIAMI
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 19 2001 3:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27R
Runway Length 11889
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --