Miami International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Miami, Florida 33152
Monday, October 23, 1995 3:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight had an uncontained failure of the No. 4 engine during the takeoff roll. The takeoff was rejected and the aircraft stopped on the remaining runway. Airport emergency personnel extinguished a fire that erupted in the engine after failure. Examination of the aircraft showed the engine, pylon, right wing, flaps, and aileron, right horizontal stabilizer, and fuselage sustained damage from engine debris released during failure of the engine. Examination of the engine indicated the low pressure turbine fifth stage hub had ruptured. About 180 degrees of the hub rim had separated along with the blade attachment slots and blades. The hub ruptured from an area of a well oxidized, intergranular fracture that originated at a tierod hole. There was no apparent defect observed along the edge of the tierod hole that would cause a crack to initiate and propagate to critical length.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the No. 4 engine fifth stage turbine hub due to a cyclic stress rupture for undetermined reasons, which resulted in an uncontained failure of the engine.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/23/1995
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 350
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MIAMI
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33152
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MIAMI INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MIA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 11
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 450 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID MIA
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1990
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 23 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N613FF
NTSB Number MIA96FA013
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 Boeing
Aircraft Model 747-121
Aircraft Series Identifier 747-121
Aircraft Serial Number 19647
Certified Max Gross Weight 734000
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 8
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Oct 23 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 22911
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TOWER AIR INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City JAMAICA
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 11430
Operator is an individual? No
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 TWRA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MIA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 350
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TTPP
Destination City PORT OF SPAIN
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 6 2004 10:50AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 9L
Runway Length 10502
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --