- Date
- December 30, 1985, 17:06 local (22:06 UTC)
- Place
- Atlanta, GA
- Injuries
- 169 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N231Airbus Industrie A-300 B4-203
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 7010
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf
Turbine assembly - separationCause
Maintenance,design change - not issuedCause
Analysis
During takeoff initial climb the aircraft experienced an uncontained failure of the no 1 engine. The pilot returned to the airport and landed without further incident. Post incident examination disclosed four broken turbine mid frame strut studs. The fracture surfaces exhibited fatigue signatures. A proposed strud stud design is being manufactured for testing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N231
- Reported as
- Airbus Industrie A-300 B4-203 (A-300B4-20)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 220
- Airframe hours
- 6,493
- Engine
- GE CF6-50C2, 51,400 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- Eastern Airlines, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · November 13, 1985 · 243 hours before
- Departed
- ATL · Atlanta, GA
- Destination
- SFO · San Francisco, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 14,973 total · 2,226 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ATL