Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Buenos Aires Argentina
Saturday, August 24, 2002 21:36 AST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On August 24, 2002, about 2136 Atlantic standard time, a Boeing 767-332ER, N178DN, registered to and operated by Delta Air Lines, as a Title 14 CFR Part 121 international passenger flight, had a fuel spill in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while the flight was preparing to depart to Atlanta, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The airline transport-rated pilot, 11 crewmembers and 195 passengers were not injured, and the airplane was not damaged. The flight was originating at the time of the incident.
According to an official with the Government of Argentina, the airplane had just pushed back from the gate, and the flightcrew had started the No. 1 engine, and when they tried to start the No. 2 engine a fuel line associated with the No. 2 engine failed and spilled about 1,400 pounds of fuel in 10 minutes.
Examination of the aircraft revealed that a nut assembly forward of the right engine pylon front spar had failed and had produced the fuel leak. There was evidence of fatigue from multiple origination points in the nut coupling, as well as the presence of ratchet marks on the fracture surface of the nut. The failed nut showed uneven wear on the severed nut piece, as well as in the internal ring of the nut, consistent with either the nut, or the fuel line having been misaligned. The thread condition showed no evidence of an over torqued or misthreaded condition, however the O-rings showed evidence of degradation.
This investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Argentina. Any further information can be obtained from :
Junta de Investigacion de Accidentes de Aviacion Civil
Avenida Belgrano 1370 - Piso 11 B
1093 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Telephone: 011-541-14-381-6333
Fax: 011-541-14-381-6333
This report is for information purposes only, and contains information released by or obtained for the Government of Argentina.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 8/24/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 2136 |
| Event Time Zone | Atlantic Standard Time |
| Event City | Buenos Aires |
| Event State | -- |
| Event Country | ARGENTINA |
| Zipcode of the event site | -- |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 344920S |
| Event Location Longitude | 0583209W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | EZE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | -- |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 208 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | Government of Argentina |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 26 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 800 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 10 2002 1:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA International Office |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N178DN |
| NTSB Number | MIA02WA176 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 121: Air Carrier |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | None |
| Aircraft Fire | -- |
| Aircraft Explosion | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Boeing |
| Aircraft Model | 767-332ER |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | -- |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | -- |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | -- |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | -- |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | -- |
| Operator Street Address | 1020 Delta Boulevard |
| Operator City | Atlanta |
| Operator State | GA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 30354 |
| Operator Code | DALA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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 | International |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger/Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | EZE |
| Departure City | Buenos Aires |
| Departure State | -- |
| Departure Country | AR |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | AST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ATL |
| Destination City | Atlanta |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Standing - engine(s) not operating |
| Report sent to ICAO? | Yes |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 10 2002 1:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |