- Date
- August 3, 1990, 12:58 local (16:58 UTC)
- Place
- Chamblee, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N457FDassault DA20F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 6, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900803040599I
- Case key
- 8161
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
The right fuel control unit malfunctioned and allowed the engine speed to decrease below idle speed (45%) which resulted in an engine fire. Factors in the incident were: the improper rigging of the fuel control unit during installation, and the flight crew's failure to monitor the idle speed before attempting to deploy the right thrust reverser.
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.
Analysis
During landing the pilot was unable to deploy the right thrust reverser. After clearing the runway, he again attempted to deploy the reverser several times. On the last attempt, the engine accessories fell off line, and a fire was reported in the tailpipe. The pilot did not receive a warning in the cockpit, but was informed by the tower. The fire continued to burn until it was suppressed by CFR personnel. The engine examination disclosed that the fuel control unit was set below the prescribed engine speed. Additionally, no.3 and no.5 carbon seals showed evidence of engine oil bypass. The right engine oil reservoir was empty, and the fire was confined to the 6 o'clock position of the engine. The fuel control was installed prior to the flight departing little rock. Apparently, during the rigging process the idle speed was set too low, and when the pilot cycled the thrust reverser several times a pressure difference existed over the carbon seals which allowed engine oil to pass into the tailpipe area.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N457F
- Reported as
- Dassault DA20F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 449
- Airframe hours
- 3,421
- Engine
- GE CF700-2D2, 4,500 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Southern Company Services,Inc.
- Last inspection
- AAIP · March 21, 1990 · 241 hours before
- Departed
- LIT · Little Rock, AK
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- PDK · Peachtree-Deklab, runway 20L, 6,000 × 150 ft, concrete
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 12,775 total · 1,759 in this make and model · 12,070 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- PDK
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.