19980216024099A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Airbus A320-212 · Memphis, TN · February 16, 1998

Date: February 16, 1998 · 12:40 local
Place: Memphis, TN
Airport: Memphis International
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
Operator: NWAA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N341NW
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI98IA095
Reported as: Airbus A320212
Reported engine: CFMINT CFM565A3
People aboard: 117
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,649 total195 in this make and model

N341NWRegistered now · Airbus Industrie A320-212S/N 380 · Built 1992 Airframe modelAirbus Industrie A320-212 Engine modelCFM International CFM56 seriesTurbo-fan

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Fuel pump 7149002 bushing failed clogging fuel filter. Engine auto shutdown. Lpt case uncontained burn through. (.4)the examination of the engine revealed a 4-inch long (circumferential) by 1-inch wide (axial) burn-through in the low pressure turbine case in the plane of the 2nd stage turbine stators at the 11 o'clock location. The examination of the fuel pump filter revealed the presence of a bronze-colored material. The fuel nozzles were reported to have bronze-colored material in the nozzle jets. Records show that the fuel pump had operated 17,208 hours time since new and 6,972 cycles since new. The disassembly of the pump revealed the pump housing had gear pocket milling. The fixed and driven bearings, which are made of bronze, were worn. The fuel pump's filter bypass valve was found to have bronze-colored particles on both sides of the valve. The fuel pump's four bearings were made of bronze and all four bearings exhibited wear and material loss.

As the FAA filed it

FUEL PUMP 7149002 BUSHING FAILED CLOGGING FUEL FILTER. ENGINE AUTO SHUTDOWN. LPT CASE UNCONTAINED BURN THROUGH. (.4)THE EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A 4-INCH LONG (CIRCUMFERENTIAL) BY 1-INCH WIDE (AXIAL) BURN-THROUGH IN THE LOW PRESSURE TURBINE CASE IN THE PLANE OF THE 2ND STAGE TURBINE STATORS AT THE 11 O'CLOCK LOCATION. THE EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL PUMP FILTER REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF A BRONZE-COLORED MATERIAL. THE FUEL NOZZLES WERE REPORTED TO HAVE BRONZE-COLORED MATERIAL IN THE NOZZLE JETS. RECORDS SHOW THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD OPERATED 17,208 HOURS TIME SINCE NEW AND 6,972 CYCLES SINCE NEW. THE DISASSEMBLY OF THE PUMP REVEALED THE PUMP HOUSING HAD GEAR POCKET MILLING. THE FIXED AND DRIVEN BEARINGS, WHICH ARE MADE OF BRONZE, WERE WORN. THE FUEL PUMP'S FILTER BYPASS VALVE WAS FOUND TO HAVE BRONZE-COLORED PARTICLES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VALVE. THE FUEL PUMP'S FOUR BEARINGS WERE MADE OF BRONZE AND ALL FOUR BEARINGS EXHIBITED WEAR AND MATERIAL LOSS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI98IA095Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportMemphis, TNthe inadequate (bronze) material used by the fuel pump's manufacturer, which wore and ultimately blocked the fuel filter bypass and partially blocked the fuel nozzles, causing the fuel spray to burn through the low pressure turbine case.Feb 16, 1998 · Minor damage

Other reports on N341NW · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19930410014249IOther Ground Ops · Denver, CONR2 engine struck a parked belt loader while being marshalled into gate. Gear chock ingested by engine.Apr 10, 1993 · Reported as Airbus A320231 · Minor damage