Newark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newark, New Jersey 07114
Friday, December 8, 1989 22:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT FLIGHT LEVEL 370 THE CREW HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION-TYPE NOISE. THE #1 ENGINE SHOWED A POWER LOSS, AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE CREW SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN, AND AN UNEVENTFUL 2-ENGINE LANDING WAS MADE AT NEWARK. AN ENGINE TURBINE BLADE WAS FOUND LODGED IN THE AIRPLANE'S VERTICAL STABILIZER. AN ENGINE TEARDOWN SHOWED THERMAL DISTRESS TO THE FIRST STAGE TURBINE BLADES CAUSING A DEGRADATION OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES RESULTING IN BLADE FRACTURES. THE CAUSE OF THE THERMAL DISTRESS WAS NOT DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THERMAL DISTRESS OF THE FIRST STAGE TURBINE BLADES OF THE NUBER ONE ENGINE CAUSING A DEGRADATION OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES WHICH RESULTED IN BLADE FRACTURES. THE REASON FOR THE THERMAL DISTRESS WAS NOT DETERMINED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/8/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2210
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NEWARK
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07114
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NEWARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EWR
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 90
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 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 7
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2380
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 11 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1340
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43230
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 N727PJ
NTSB Number NYC90FA038
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 727-31
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-31
Aircraft Serial Number 18752
Certified Max Gross Weight 170000
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 77
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 PRIVATE JET EXPEDITIONS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8100 EAST 22ND ST., N BLDG 500
Aircraft Owner City WICHITA
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country VT
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67226
Operator is an individual? No
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 PJXA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ICT
Departure City WICHITA,
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 2002
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 26 2002 4:21PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
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 --