Laguardia Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New York City, New York 11371
Sunday, September 9, 1990 22:32 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER LANDING AND DURING TAXI TO THE GATE, THE CREW ATTEMPTED TO START THE APU. THE APU TORCHED AND FLAMES CAME OUT NEAR THE RIGHT WING. A PASSENGER SITTING NEAR THE WINDOW SHOUTED FIRE. A PASSENGER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE SITTING NEAR THE OVER WING EMERGENCY EXIT OPENED THE EXIT AND STARTED AN UNWARRANTED EVACUATION WHILE THE AIRPLANE WAS STILL MOVING. THE CABIN AND FLIGHT CREW ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE ORDER, BUT MANY OF THE PASSENGERS WERE ALREADY OUT ON THE WING AND OPENING DOORS. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT ACTIVATED THE EVACUATION ALARM AND FLIGHT CREW BROUGHT THE AIRPLANE TO A STOP. THE AIRPLANE WAS COMPLETELY EVACUATED AND TOWED TO THE GATE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE EXHAUST PIPE FIRE IN THE APU WHICH RESULTED IN AN UNAUTHORIZED EVACUATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE PASSENGERS.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 9/9/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2232
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEW YORK CITY
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11371
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAGUARDIA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LGA
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 22
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Night/Dark
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 3
Injury Total None 150
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5050
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 9 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44593
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N74317
NTSB Number NYC90IA219
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 727-231
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-231
Aircraft Serial Number 20050
Certified Max Gross Weight 172000
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 154
Number of Engines 3
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 Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TRANS WORLD AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address POB 20126 KANAS CITY AIRPORT
Operator City BRIDGETON
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63044
Operator Code TWAA
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 No
Departure Airport Code FLL
Departure City FT LAUDERDALE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1951
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
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 22
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --