Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Memphis International Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Memphis, Tennessee 38118
Friday, July 13, 2001 4:28 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After takeoff using standard power at 100 feet above ground level (AGL) the #3 engine fire warning light with normal engine indications illuminated. While the captain and second officer accomplished the engine fire/severe damage checklist the #3 oil low pressure light came on and the #3 generator tripped off. The fire warning light did not go out until the second fire bottle was used. They declared an emergency with the tower, and made a normal landing and taxied clear of the runway. Emergency crews inspected the airplane and observed no indication of fire. They subsequently did a normal taxi back to the gate and there was a normal shutdown. Examination of the engine found the starter turbine was missing from the starter assembly, however, the turbine was recovered from the engine cowling. All of the tips on the full length airfoils had rub marks with material displaced away from the direction of rotation. The starter shaft was separated 2 1/4-inchs from the impeller. The bearing was broken and rubbed flush to the shaft. The ignition exciter box brackets were burned and the box was hanging by the cable. The ignition exciter box was burned open.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the #3 engine starter turbine.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 7/13/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 428 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | MEMPHIS |
| Event State | TENNESSEE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 38118 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 350208N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0895807W |
| Event Location Airport | Memphis International Arpt |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MEM |
| 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 | 332 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 453 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MKL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 434 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 120 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3600 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 20 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.99 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1279 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12025 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 13 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 600 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 25 2002 9:28AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | MEMPHIS FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N189FE |
| NTSB Number | ATL01IA083 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 121: Air Carrier |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Boeing |
| Aircraft Model | B-727-100 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 19082 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 161000 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 3 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 5 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 12 |
| Airframe Hours | 65531 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Federal Express Corporation |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2005 CORPORATE AVE. |
| Aircraft Owner City | MEMPHIS |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 38132 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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 | FDEA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | Yes |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | MEM |
| Departure City | MEMPHIS |
| Departure State | TN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 428 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | IND |
| Destination City | Indianapolis |
| Destination State | IN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 15 2002 9:40AM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 36R |
| Runway Length | 9000 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |