Little Rock Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
Wednesday, August 10, 1988 9:07 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE SKED AIR CARRIER FLT WAS ABORTED AFTER THE CAPT HEARD A NOISE AND FELT A VIBRATION EMANATING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ACFT, WHICH AT THE TIME, WAS PERCEIVED AS A 'BLOWN' TIRE. THE ACFT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY STOPPED ON THE ACTIVE RWY, AND AN ORDER FM THE CAPTAIN TO REMAIN SEATED WAS GIVEN. THIS ORDER WAS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY RESCINDED WHEN IT WAS LEARNED, THROUGH A VISUAL SIGHTING, THAT THE LEFT ENG WAS ON FIRE. THE CAPTAIN ISSUED A FIRM ORDER AND EVACUATION OF THE PAX WAS INITIATED. THE SMOKE FROM THE LEFT ENG PROHIBITED PAX USING THE OVERWING EXITS FROM DEPLANING IN THE PRESCRIBED MANNER. THE PAX WHO WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED WERE KNOWN TO HAVE JUMPED FROM THE FRONT OF THE WING INSTEAD OF USING THE WING FLAP, WHICH ACTS AS A SLIDE OFF THE REAR OF THE WING. EXAM OF THE LEFT ENG REVEALED FAILURE OF THE 4TH STAGE TURBINE SECTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/10/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 907
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LITTLE ROCK
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72201
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LITTLE ROCK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LIT
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 859 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LIT
Elevation of weather observation facility 258
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 5
Injury Total None 97
Injury Total Serious 5
Injury Total All 10
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 580
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 10 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36403
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9060U
NTSB Number MKC88FA154
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 737-222
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-222
Aircraft Serial Number 9560
Certified Max Gross Weight 115500
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 109
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jul 25 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2856
Airframe Hours 39000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 66140
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60666
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name UNITED AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address O'HARE INTL ARPT, BOX 66100
Operator City CHICAGO
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60666
Operator Code UALA
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 LIT
Departure City LITTLE ROCK
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 903
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CHI
Destination City CHICAGO
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --