Patuxent Nvl Air Station Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Patuxent River, Maryland 20670
Monday, March 4, 1985 22:48 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ENROUTE FM FT LAUDERDALE, FL TO MONTREAL, CANADA, AIR CANADA FLT 087 REQUESTED TO MAKE AN UNSCHEDULED LNDG DUE TO SMOKE IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT. C-FTNE WAS VECTORED TO PATUXENT RVR NAS, PATUXENT, MD AND DESCENDED OUT OF FL 370. THE SMOKE WAS DETERMINED TO BE ORIGINATING FM A BLACK BOX IN AN OVERHEAD BIN LOCATED ABOVE SEAT #42. ATMPS WERE MADE DRNG THE DSCNT TO IDENTIFY THE BOX AND FIND THE APPROPRIATE CIRCUIT BREAKERS BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL DUE TO LACK OF LABEL ON THE BOX AND OTHER DUTIES OF THE CREW DRNG DSCNT. THE ACFT LNDD W/O INCIDENT AT PXT NAS AT 2306 HOURS EST ON MARCH 4, 1985, AND THE CPT RPTD THAT THE SMOKE STOPPED WHILE TAXIING TO PKG. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE SMOKE ORIGINATED FROM THE EMGCY PWR PACK WHICH CONTROLS THE EMGCY LIGHTING SYSTEM. A CASE TO CASE ELECTRICAL SHORT BETWEEN 2 ADJACENT CELLS IN THE SELF CONTAINED PACK RESULTED IN OVERHEATING. THIS WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE POLYETHYLENE TAPE USED TO HOLD THE 24 CELLS TOGETHER. AN INTERNAL FUSE IN THE BATTERY CHARGING CIRCUIT WAS FOUND POPPED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/4/1985
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2248
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PATUXENT RIVER
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20670
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PATUXENT NVL AIR STATION
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PXT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 38
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2255 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID NHK
Elevation of weather observation facility 38
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 23
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 300
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 2
Injury Total None 276
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5013
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 5 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28023
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 CFTNE
NTSB Number BFO85IA024
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 129: Foreign
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Lockheed
Aircraft Model L-1011
Aircraft Series Identifier L-1011
Aircraft Serial Number 1027
Certified Max Gross Weight 432000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 311
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 28785
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR CANADA
Aircraft Owner Street Address AIR CANADA BASE
Aircraft Owner City MONTREAL INTNL.
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 ARNF
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 Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FLL
Departure City FORT LAUDERDALE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 2100
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code YUL
Destination City MONTREAL
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 28 2001 1:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 6400
Runway Width 300
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --