Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Friday, November 9, 2007 22:12 UTC

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While maneuvering at 3,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, three of the airplane's four engines experienced compressor stalls and associated tailpipe fires. The flight crew was able to extinguish the three tailpipe fires and eventually restart the three engines. The airplane subsequently proceeded to its departure airport and landed uneventfully. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed extreme salt buildup in all four engines. After the salt was rinsed away with water, the engine efficiencies improved greatly and no other anomalies were noted.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Extensive salt buildup in the inlets of all four engines, which resulted in compressor stalls and tailpipe fires in three of the four engines.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 11/9/2007
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2212
Event Time Zone Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Event City --
Event State ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 463423N
Event Location Longitude 0374606W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 2000 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID YYT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1000
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 500
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 90
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 10
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.46
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 6
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31094
NTSB Notification Source NOAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 23 2013 2:48PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N42RF
NTSB Number ERA13IA006
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Public Use
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LOCKHEED
Aircraft Model WP-3D
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5622
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 21
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Aircraft Owner Street Address NOAA AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS CENTER
Aircraft Owner City MACDILL AFB
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33621-5401
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address NOAA AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS CENTER
Operator City MACDILL AFB
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 33621-5401
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CYYT
Departure City ST JOHN'S NFLD
Departure State --
Departure Country CA
Departure Time 1453
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CYYT
Destination City St. JOHN'S NFLD
Destination State --
Destination Country CA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 24 2013 9:53AM
User who most recently changed record coln
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --