Wichita Mid-Continent Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wichita, Kansas 67201
Saturday, March 17, 1990 11:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BOEING 737-300 ABORTED TAKEOFF FROM WICHITA, KANSAS WHEN THE RIGHT ENGINE HAD POWER LOSS AND WAS ON FIRE. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE TEARDOWN RESULTS REVEALED ENGINE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A DISENGAGED LEVER ARM OF VARIABLE STATOR VANE ON STAGE NEAR HIGH PRESSURE COMPRESSOR AREA RESULTING IN HIGH SYCLE FATIGUE OF A STAGE 1 BLADE IN HPC. AN EMERGENCY SLIDE UPPER GIRT BAR SUFFERED OVERLOAD TYPE FAILURE DURING EVACUATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF LEVEL ARM.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/17/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City WICHITA
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67201
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WICHITA MID-CONTINENT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ICT
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 1320
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1051 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ICT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1320
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1073
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 135
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5045
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 17 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44570
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N17317
NTSB Number MKC90IA070
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing
Aircraft Model 737-300
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-300
Aircraft Serial Number 23368
Certified Max Gross Weight 135000
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 136
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Mar 9 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 78
Airframe Hours 13118
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address RODNEY SQUARE NORTH
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19890
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 4607
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77210
Operator Code CALA
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 1130
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DEN
Destination City DENVER
Destination State CO
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 1R
Runway Length 7302
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --