Indianapolis Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Indianapolis, Indiana 46241
Wednesday, July 6, 1988 18:25 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SCHEDULED AIR CARRIER EXPERIENCED APU FIRE WARNING WHEN APU START WAS ATTEMPTED DURING APPROACH DESCENT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT EGT TEMPERATURE PROBE WIRING HARNESS WAS PINCHED BETWEEN FIRE SEAL AND LOWER APU SHROUD. FIRE SEAL COMPROMISE ALLOWED POOLED FUEL TO ENTER LOWER APU AREA AND CAUSE LOCALIZED FIRE ON DELAYED IGNITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE TO ENSURE PROPER ALIGNMENT AND CLOSURE OF THE AUXILLARY POWER UNIT LOWER SHROUD WITH THE FIRE SEAL UPON COMPLETION OF A MAINTENANCE ACTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 7/6/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1825
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City INDIANAPOLIS
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46241
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport INDIANAPOLIS INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 798
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1900 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID IND
Elevation of weather observation facility 798
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 36
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5100
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 6 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39209
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N409PE
NTSB Number CHI88IA159
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 In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 737-130
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-130
Aircraft Serial Number 19026
Certified Max Gross Weight 100800
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 100
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2929 ALLEN PKWY SUITE 1900
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77019
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Airport Code CLE
Departure City CLEVELAND
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 1850
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IND
Destination City INDIANAPOLIS
Destination State IN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 22R
Runway Length 10005
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --