What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On January 11, 2002, at 0045 mountain standard time, a Boeing 757-222, N551UA, operating as united airlines flight 23, sustained minor damage when during cruise flight, a fire occurred in the aft lavatory. The fire was extinguished, an emergency declared, and an uneventful landing was made at the Salt Lake City International Airport (slc), Salt Lake City, Utah. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the time of the incident. The scheduled domestic passenger flight was being operated on an instrument flight rules plan under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 121. The captain, first officer, 5 flight attendants, and 133 passengers reported no injuries. The flight originated at san francisco, California, at 2243, and was en route to boston, Massachusetts. The company reported that flight 23 was at a cruise altitude of 37,000 feet mean sea level and just south of slc, when a passenger reported to a flight attendant a burning smell in the aft lavatory. The flight attendant entered the lavatory and opened the door under the sink. The flight attendant saw a flame. She immediately discharged halon to the area extinguishing the flame. The plastic shroud around the toilet was removed and the area was inspected for additional evidence of fire. The captain decided to declare an emergency, and divert and land at slc. An examination of the airplane revealed the lavatory toilet water level sensor was charred and melted. The inside aft wall of the toilet shroud, in the area over the sensor, was charred and melted. Vent tubes in the area were also charred and melted. No other anomalies were found. The water level sensor, shroud, and vent assembly were retained for further examination.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JANUARY 11, 2002, AT 0045 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A BOEING 757-222, N551UA, OPERATING AS UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 23, SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE WHEN DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, A FIRE OCCURRED IN THE AFT LAVATORY. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, AN EMERGENCY DECLARED, AND AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING WAS MADE AT THE SALT LAKE CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SLC), SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED DURING THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE SCHEDULED DOMESTIC PASSENGER FLIGHT WAS BEING OPERATED ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES PLAN UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 121. THE CAPTAIN, FIRST OFFICER, 5 FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, AND 133 PASSENGERS REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AT 2243, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. THE COMPANY REPORTED THAT FLIGHT 23 WAS AT A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 37,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL AND JUST SOUTH OF SLC, WHEN A PASSENGER REPORTED TO A FLIGHT ATTENDANT A BURNING SMELL IN THE AFT LAVATORY. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE LAVATORY AND OPENED THE DOOR UNDER THE SINK. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT SAW A FLAME. SHE IMMEDIATELY DISCHARGED HALON TO THE AREA EXTINGUISHING THE FLAME. THE PLASTIC SHROUD AROUND THE TOILET WAS REMOVED AND THE AREA WAS INSPECTED FOR ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE OF FIRE. THE CAPTAIN DECIDED TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY, AND DIVERT AND LAND AT SLC. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE LAVATORY TOILET WATER LEVEL SENSOR WAS CHARRED AND MELTED. THE INSIDE AFT WALL OF THE TOILET SHROUD, IN THE AREA OVER THE SENSOR, WAS CHARRED AND MELTED. VENT TUBES IN THE AREA WERE ALSO CHARRED AND MELTED. NO OTHER ANOMALIES WERE FOUND. THE WATER LEVEL SENSOR, SHROUD, AND VENT ASSEMBLY WERE RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N551UA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.