Kent County International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501
Monday, November 18, 1996 20:49 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight crew received a engine fire warning during an approach to land. The crew performed engine fire emergency procedures and a single engine landing was accomplished. After landing, it was reported that the smoke was coming out of the #2 engine and the Captain ordered an evacuation of the airplane. The exit door 1R slide deployed automatically when the door was opened. The slides for exit doors 1L and 2R did not automatically inflate. Both slides were inflated manually. A passenger exited out of the 1L door and fractured her ankle. According to one of the flight attendants, the passenger did not jump out the exit as directed, but rather sat down, and slid out. Another flight attendant could not rotate door handle on exit door 2L. With assistance from a passenger the door was opened at which time the escape slide inflated into the airplane blocking both of the aft exists. Investigation revealed the operator received approval for an alternate mean of compliance for AD 85-25-04 addressing 737-100, 200, and 300 escape slide modifications, testing and inspections.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a passenger sustained a fractured ankle during an emergency evacuation for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/18/1996
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2049
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GRAND RAPIDS
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49501
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KENT COUNTY INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GRR
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 794
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1756 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID GRR
Elevation of weather observation facility 794
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2100
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1013
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 2
Injury Total None 84
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2017
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 19 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9038U
NTSB Number CHI97FA030
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing
Aircraft Model 737-222
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-222
Aircraft Serial Number 19076
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 109
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection May 24 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1053
Airframe Hours 54614
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED AIR LINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address OHARE INTL ARPT PO BOX 66100
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60666
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 UALA
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ORD
Departure City CHICAGO
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1906
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code GRR
Destination City
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26L
Runway Length 10000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --