Ft Lauderdale Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Saturday, December 28, 1985 13:33 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER GEAR RETRACTION DRG TAKEOFF, AT APRX 150' AGL, THE AIRCREW HEARD A LOUD NOISE & NOTED THE #2 ENG HAD FAILED. THEY SECURED THE ENG, DUMPED FUEL & LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AN EXAM OF THE #2 ENG REVEALED THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER OUTER CASE, PN 616315, HAD FAILED FROM HI STRESS, LOW-CYCLE FATIGUE. THE FAILURE ORIGINATED AT A 4.6 INCH CRACK AT THE REAR DRAIN BOSS TO CASE WELD. AT THE LAST SHOP INSPN, A SUSPECTED CRACK WAS VISUALLY OBSVD IN THIS AREA. THE CASE WAS PREPARED FOR NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING BY GRIT BLASTING IT WITH ALUMINUM OXIDE BEADS TO STRIP OFF NICKEL-CADMIUM PLATING. HOWEVER, THE TESTING DID NOT REVEAL A CRACK. THEREFORE, THE CASE WAS RECOATED WITH NICKEL-CADMIUM & RETURNED TO SVC. AFTER THE FAILURE, AN EXAM OF THE FRACTURE AREA REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF NICKEL & CADMIUM (0.5 TO 0.75 INCH, CENTERED ON THE FRACTURE ORIGIN AREA). THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT GRIT BLASTING (PRIOR TO NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING) HAD MECHANICALLY CLOSED THE PREV CRACK, THUS PREVENTING DETECTION. THE OPERATOR REVISED THE SHOP PROCEDURE TO A SHELL BLASTING METHOD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 12/28/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1333
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FORT LAUDERDALE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FT LAUDERDALE INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FLL
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 1249 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FLL
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
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) 800
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 131
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5091
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 28 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1450
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30677
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N519DA
NTSB Number MIA86MA048
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 None
Aircraft Explosion In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 727-232
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-232
Aircraft Serial Number 21470
Certified Max Gross Weight 184200
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 157
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Dec 18 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 22083
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address HARTSFIELD ATLANTA INT. AIRPOR
Aircraft Owner City ATLANTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30120
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 DALA
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 1333
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DTW
Destination City DETROIT
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 9L
Runway Length 8018
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --