Houston Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77205
Thursday, October 17, 1991 14:06 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT ALLOWED THE RIGHT OUTBOARD ENGINE POD TO DRAG ON THE RUNWAY WHILE LANDING. THE INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT EXECUTED A ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 14 AND WHEN THEY WERE HANDED OVER TO THE TOWER, THEY REQUESTED A VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 8. THE TOWER CLEARED THE FLIGHT FOR THE SIDE STEP MANEUVER. THE CAPTAIN DELAYED INITIATING THE SIDE STEP MANEUVER UNTIL HE WAS 350 FEET AGL, AND BANKED THE AIRPLANE TO THE LEFT, ATTAINING A BANK OF 32.6 DEGREES, FOLLOWED BY 20.8 DEGREES BANK TO THE RIGHT AT 18 FEET AGL. FINAL APPROACH ALIGNMENT WAS NOT OBTAINED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO DRAG ON THE RUNWAY. A FIRE ERUPTED IN THE BOTTOM AFT SECTION OF THE ENGINE COWLING AS A RESULT OF A BROKEN FUEL FILTER DRAIN LINE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WITH ONBOARD FIRE SUPPRESSANTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN AND HIS FAILURE TO INITIATE A GO AROUND TO REMEDY THE SITUATION. A FACTOR WAS THE LOW ALTITUDE AT WHICH HE INITIATED THE SIDE STEP MANEUVER FOR WHICH HE WAS CLEARED.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 10/17/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1406
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77205
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HOUSTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IAH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 96
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1600
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 154
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6006
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45742
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:48AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number PHBUU
NTSB Number FTW92IA010
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 129: Foreign
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 747-300
Aircraft Series Identifier 747-300
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 610000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 290
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KLM ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 565 TAXTER ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ELMSFORD
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 10523
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KLM ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 565 TAXTER ROAD
Operator City ELMSFORD
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 10523
Operator Code KRDF
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? Yes
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 International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MEX
Departure City MEXICO CITY
Departure State MX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1226
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 9
Runway Length 9401
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --