Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Champaign, Illinois 62820
Wednesday, March 20, 1985 14:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING ENGINE START A FUEL LINE RUNNING BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP AND THE DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE SWITCH RUPTURED AND CAUSED A SMALL FIRE. THE CREW OBSERVED A FIRE WARNING LIGHT,ABORTED THE START PROCEDURE AND ACTIVATED THE FIRE EXTINGUI SHING SYSTEM WHICH PUT THE FIRE OUT. AN ANALYSIS OF THE BRAIDED LINE REVEALED THAT IT COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED AS HAVING BEEN MANUFACTURED BY THE COMPANY THAT PRODUCES ORIGINAL FUEL LINES FOR THAT ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN RECENTLY ACQUIRED FROM A FOREIGN AIR CARRIER AFTER MANY YEARS OF SERVICE OVERSEAS. IT WAS THE OPINION OF THE TECHNICIANSPERFORMING THE ANALYSIS THAT THE DAMAGE THAT WEAKENED THE LINE DID NOT OCCUR WHILE THE LINE WAS INSTALLED ON THE INCIDENT ENGINE, BUT RATHER AT AN EARLIER TIME, POSSIBLY WHEN THE LINE WAS INSTALLED ON ANOTHER DIFFERENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/20/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1440
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CHAMPAIGN
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62820
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
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1445 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CMI
Elevation of weather observation facility 754
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5049
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 20 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29520
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 N386BA
NTSB Number CHI85IA143
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name FAIRCHILD
Aircraft Model F-27
Aircraft Series Identifier F27
Aircraft Serial Number 22
Certified Max Gross Weight 42000
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 48
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 --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRITT AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address HULMAN REGIONAL AIRPORT
Operator City TERRE HAUTE
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 47803
Operator Code BRIA
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code CMI
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HUF
Destination City TERRE HAUTE
Destination State IN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 28 2001 1:00PM
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 --