Bradley Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Windsor Locks, Connecticut 06096
Wednesday, January 21, 1998 21:23 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the landing roll, a fire erupted in the right engine. The airplane was stopped on the runway, the engines were shut down, and the occupants evacuated. The investigation revealed that one of three studs used to hold the fuel filter on the fuel/oil heat exchanger had pulled out of the housing. This allowed fuel to spill into the engine bay and come in contact with hot engine surfaces. The installed unit had accumulated about 1,000 hour since overhaul. Examination of the unit revealed the stud had pulled out of an oversized lug hole. Examination of the overhaul manual published by the component manufacturer revealed insufficient information on procedures for working with the lug holes and how to ensure the lug holes were properly drilled and the studs properly inserted in the lug holes.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The improper overhaul of lug holes on the fuel/oil heat exchanger. A factor was the lack of direction contained in the manufacturer's overhaul manual for working with the lug holes.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/21/1998
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2123
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WINDSOR LOCKS
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06096
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BRADLEY INTL AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BDL
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 174
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2126 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BDL
Elevation of weather observation facility 174
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 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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 38
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10201
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 21 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2155
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2001 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15827
NTSB Number NYC98FA062
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR/IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aerospatiale
Aircraft Model ATR-42-320
Aircraft Series Identifier ATR-42-320
Aircraft Serial Number 175
Certified Max Gross Weight 37059
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 46
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Dec 23 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 201
Airframe Hours 18157
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2929 ALLEN PKWY STE 1900
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77019
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CONTINENTAL EXPRESS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 15333 JFK BLVD, STE 600
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77032
Operator Code C2XA
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 EWR
Departure City NEWARK
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 2015
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BDL
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 33
Runway Length 6846
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --