La Guardia Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Flushing, New York 11371
Saturday, November 9, 2002 13:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While waiting on the ramp after landing, the flight crew started the airplane's auxiliary power unit (APU) and about 30 seconds later, the cabin began to fill with smoke. The captain ordered an emergency evacuation utilizing the airplane's four evacuation slides. All slides functioned normally; however, during the egress a passenger sustained a fractured bone in her right foot. Examination of the airplane revealed a broken hydraulic line, which allowed hydraulic fluid to accumulate in the area of the APU inlet.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An inadvertent trauma to the passenger's foot during an emergency evacuation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/9/2002
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Flushing
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11371
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 404638N
Event Location Longitude 0735221W
Event Location Airport LA GUARDIA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LGA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 22
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1351 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LGA
Elevation of weather observation facility 22
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 18000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 6
Injury Total None 72
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 7
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13018
NTSB Notification Source EASTERN REG OPS CTR
NTSB Notification Date Nov 9 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 17 2003 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office New York

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N452AA
NTSB Number NYC03LA016
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name McDonnell Douglas
Aircraft Model MD-82
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 49553
Certified Max Gross Weight 149500
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 150
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Nov 8 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 44325
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Trustee
Aircraft Owner Street Address 299 S Main Street
Aircraft Owner City Salt Lake City
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84111
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name AMERICAN AIRLINES INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Dallas/Fort Worth Airport
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 75261
Operator Code AALA
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 Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DFW
Departure City DALLAS-FORT WOR
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 954
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LGA
Destination City Flushing
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Jan 27 2003 3:30PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --