Gallatin Fld Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Belgrade, Montana 59714
Sunday, August 12, 1990 9:08 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT THE BEGINNING OF A FLIGHT, JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FIRE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOR THE NUMBER 3 ENGINE. THE FLIGHT CREW PERFORMED THE APPROPRIATE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND RETURNED FOR LANDING. AFTER LANDING, FIRE CREWS EXTINGUISHED THE STILL BURNING FIRE THAT WAS CONFINED TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE STARTER EXPERIENCED AN INFLIGHT FAILURE. THE STARTER CONTROL VALVE WAS EXAMINED AND FOUND TO OPERATE NORMALLY AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE MALFUNCTION OF THE STARTER CONTROL VALVE.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/12/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 908
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BELGRADE
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59714
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GALLATIN FLD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BZN
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 4474
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BZN
Elevation of weather observation facility 4474
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 30000
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 157
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5028
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 12 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1025
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43224
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N69735
NTSB Number SEA90IA161
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 In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 727-224
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-224
Aircraft Serial Number 20664
Certified Max Gross Weight 172500
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 158
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 10 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 48235
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 15333 JFK BLVD
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77032
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/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 908
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12
Runway Length 4002
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --