Los Angeles Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Los Angeles, California 90009
Thursday, August 29, 1991 13:17 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, A BOEING 767-232, EXPERIENCED AN UNCONTAINED FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 1 ENGINE HIGH PRESSURE TURBINE WHEEL. PORTIONS OF THE TURBINE DISK EXITED THE ENGINE CASE, PRODUCING A 4-INCH BY 16-INCH RUPTURE. PIECES OF THE DISK AND THE 2ND STAGE NOZZLE WERE FRAGMENTED AND PRODUCED SHRAPNEL LIKE PROJECTILES THAT PIERCED THE ENGINE CORE COWLING AND SURROUNDING ENGINE PYLON MOUNT. THE FIRST OFFICER, FLYING THE AIRPLANE, ABORTED AND THE TAKEOFF AND RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE GATE. EXAMINATION OF THE DISK DISCLOSED THAT IT FRACTURED DUE TO FATIGUE FROM AN UNDETERMINED ORIGIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FRACTURE OF THE NUMBER 1 HIGH PRESSURE TURBINE WHEEL DUE TO FATIGUE, FROM AN UNDETERMINED ORIGIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/29/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1317
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LOS ANGELES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90009
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LOS ANGELES
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LAX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 70
Airport Elevation 126
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID LAX
Elevation of weather observation facility 126
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 30000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 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 120
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5049
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46630
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N115DA
NTSB Number LAX91IA376
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 767-232
Aircraft Series Identifier 767-232
Aircraft Serial Number 22227
Certified Max Gross Weight 300000
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 204
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 24956
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DELTA AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1010 DELTA BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City ATLANTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30320
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DELTA AIRLINES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1010 DELTA BLVD.
Operator City ATLANTA
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30320
Operator Code DALA
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1317
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EWR
Destination City NEWARK
Destination State NJ
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 25
Runway Length 12091
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --