Newark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newark, New Jersey 07114
Saturday, January 3, 1987 23:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING DESCENT PRIOR TO THE APPROACH TO NEWARK, NJ THE B737 CREW ATTEMPTED TO START THE APU. THE APU FAILED TO START. DURING LNDG ROLL ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO START THE APU RESULTED IN A FIRE WARNING LIGHT. THE FIRE BOTTLE WAS DISCHARGED BUT THE FIRE WARNING REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CAPT ORDERED AN EVACUATION WHILE PARKED ON A TAXIWAY. SOME PASSENGERS EXITED THRU THE OVERWING EXIT ON THEIR OWN. SOME OF THESE PASSENGERS WERE INJURED GETTING OFF ON THE WING. INSPECTION OF THE APU REVEALED NO FIRE DAMAGE. POST ACC TEST RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE UNIT HAD TURBINE BLADES BURNED AND ERODED, FUEL CONTROL CRACKING PRESSURE SET HIGHER THAN SPECIFIED, AND THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS WIRES TO THE FUEL SOLENOID CONNECTOR WERE REVERSED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 1/3/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2315
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City NEWARK
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07114
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 1
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 On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 18
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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/Bright
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 10
Injury Total None 98
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 10
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5034
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 4 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34387
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:38PM
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 NYC87IA087
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR/IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 737-200
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-200
Aircraft Serial Number 19026
Certified Max Gross Weight 89850
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 118
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 45500
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PEOPLES EXPRESS
Aircraft Owner Street Address INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City NEWARK
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07114
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
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ORF
Departure City NORFOLK
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code EWR
Destination City NEWARK
Destination State NJ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 4R
Runway Length 9800
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --