Savannah Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Savannah, Georgia 31402
Friday, June 18, 1993 13:46 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE AFTER TAKEOFF, THE CREW OBSERVED LEFT ENGINE FIRE WARNING INDICATIONS IN THE COCKPIT. THE LEFT ENGINE POWER LEVER WAS RETARDED, AND A TURN TOWARDS THE AIRPORT WAS INITIATED. THE FIRE WARNING INDICATIONS ACTUATED INTERMITTENTLY UNTIL THE CREW SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND ACTIVATED THE ENGINE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING WAS PERFORMED. GROUND PERSONNEL INFORMED THE CAPTAIN OF VISIBLE FIRE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT ENGINE, AND AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION WAS PERFORMED. AN INSPECTION OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED A LEAK AT THE NO. 7 FUEL NOZZLE, WHICH WAS THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE. A HOLE WAS BURNED IN THE DIFFUSER CASE, WHICH ALLOWED HOT GASES TO ESCAPE AND CONTACT OIL LINES. THIS RESULTED IN EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND COWLING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LEAKAGE OF THE NUMBER 7 FUEL NOZZLE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN FLIGHT ENGINE FIRE.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 6/18/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1346
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SAVANNAH
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31402
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SAVANNAH MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SAV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 70
Airport Elevation 51
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID SAV
Elevation of weather observation facility 51
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
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 133
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5037
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 18 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N467AA
NTSB Number ATL93IA113
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-9-82
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9-82
Aircraft Serial Number 49597
Certified Max Gross Weight 150500
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 149
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 13926
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address MAIL DROP 4280/CP1V BOX 619616
Aircraft Owner City DFW AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75261
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address MAIL DROP 4280/CP1V BOX 619616
Operator City DFW AIRPORT
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75261
Operator Code AALA
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DFW
Destination City DALLAS/FT WORTH
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 9
Runway Length 9003
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --