Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kenton, Delaware 19955
Tuesady, July 26, 1988 19:08 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A FLAMEOUT OF THE #1 ENGINE OCCURRED DUE TO WATER INGESTION WHEN THE AIRCRAFT PENETRATED A VIP LEVEL 5 THUNDERSTORM AND ENCOUNTERED HEAVY RAIN WHILE DESCENDING WITH THE THROTTLES A FLIGHT IDLE. THE ENGINE SUFFERED OVERTEMPERATURE DAMAGE TO THE TURBINE SECTION DURING THE SUBSEQUENT WINDMILLING START. THE CAPTAIN ELECTED TO DESCEND IN PRECIPITATION WITH THE ENGINES AT IDLE, DESPITE THE COPILOT'S WARNING THAT IDLE DESCENT WAS CONTRARY TO RECENTLY PUBLISHED PROCEDURES WHICH REQUIRED MAINTAINING A MINIMUM OF 45% N1 RPM. THE PRECIPITATION INDUCED FLAMEOUT PHENOMENA HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED IN PREVIOUS INCIDENTS, AND CORRECTIVE PROCEDURES WERE ISSUED BY THE FAA, THE MANUFACTURERS, AND THE CARRIER, PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 7/26/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1908
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City KENTON
Event State DELAWARE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19955
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
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ILG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 30
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by briefer
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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 50
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5116
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 27 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41738
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N14336
NTSB Number FTW88IA141
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 737-300
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-300
Aircraft Serial Number 23574
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 125
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5420
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 4607
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77210
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 International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MMUN
Departure City CANCUN
Departure State MX
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EWR
Destination City NEWARK
Destination State NJ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --