Dfw Intl. Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dallas/Ftw Apt, Texas 75261
Wednesday, May 7, 1986 8:58 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CREW STATED THAT DURING AN ATTEMPTED START THE NO. 1 ENG FAILED TO GAIN IGNITION DURING THE PRESCRIBED 25 SEC LIMIT AND THAT THEY ABORTED THE START. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, GRND PERS REPORTED THAT THE ENG HAD DEVELOPED A TAIL PIPE FIRE. FOLLOWING EMERG PROCEDURES, THE FIRE PERSISTED AND THE CAPT ORDERED THE ACFT EVACUATED. FOUR PAX RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE 'B' IGN SYS WAS INOP AND PLACARDED AS SUCH AND THAT THE 'A' SYS WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. EXAMINATION REVEALED A SHORT IN THE 'B' SYS HARNESS BETWEEN THE EXCITER AND THE ING PLUG. FOLLOWING REPLACEMENT OF THE 'B' HARNESS, BOTH IGN SYS AND THE ENGINE PERFORMED NORMALLY. THE TAIL PIPE FIRE COULD BE LIT OFF FOLLOWING AN ATTEMPTED START ON THE 'B' SYS, WITH A SUBSEQUENT SECOND START OR SWITCH OVER TO THE 'A' SYS WITHOUT PURGING THE ENG OF THE INITIAL START FUEL. EITHER SEQUENCE WOULD RESULT IN TORCHING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 5/7/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 858
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DALLAS/FTW APT
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75261
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DFW INTL. ARPT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DFW
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 603
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 900 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DFW
Elevation of weather observation facility 603
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
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) 29
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 4
Injury Total None 270
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5037
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 7 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 935
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32092
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N109AA
NTSB Number FTW86IA078
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 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-10-10
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-10-10
Aircraft Serial Number 46509
Certified Max Gross Weight 440000
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 395
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 61616
Aircraft Owner City DFW AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75261
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 AALA
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LGA
Destination City NEW YORK CITY
Destination State NY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
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 --