Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Portland, Oregon 97124
Monday, July 9, 1984 14:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 4000 FT WHEN THE APU FIRE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FLT CREW DISCHARGED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHING UNITS & REQUESTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. A TEARDOWN OF THE APU REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT A HARD OBJECT WAS INJESTED INTO THE 1ST STAGE COMPRESSOR IMPELLER, BENDING 2 OF THE BLADES. THE OBJECT CONTINUED THRU THE ENG & IMPACTED THE EXDUCER BLADE. THE BLADE FAILED AT A CRACK & PENETRATED THE EXHAUST PIPE ASSEMBLY. HOT GASES THEN VENTED INTO THE COOLING AIR PASSAGE & OVERHEATED THE TAIL CONE & AFT PORTION OF THE APU.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 7/9/1984
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PORTLAND
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97124
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 7
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID PDX
Elevation of weather observation facility 26
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 71
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5045
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 13 1984 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33345
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 N9015U
NTSB Number SEA84IA168
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model B-737-222
Aircraft Series Identifier B737-222
Aircraft Serial Number 19053
Certified Max Gross Weight 125000
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 115
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 66100
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60660
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 UALA
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 PDX
Departure City PORTLAND
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SAN
Destination City SAN DIEGO
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 28 2001 1:01PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --