# NTSB CHI81IA031: Douglas DC-6A, N44DG, East Alton, IL, March 5, 1981

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: March 5, 1981
- Place: East Alton, IL · EAST ALTON, IL
- Location: 38.8845° N, 90.1087° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of East Alton, IL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8845&lon=-90.1087&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 29, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 126664
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI81IA031
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI81IA031

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5-0010   81/3/5    EAST ALTON,IL       DOUGLAS DC-6A       CR-  0  0  3  MISCELLANEOUS             AIRLINE TRANSPORT, AGE
        TIME - 1208                    N44DG               PX-  0  0  0  FERRY                     34, 7000 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-MINOR        OT-  0  0  0                            4000 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        CLASSIFIED AS INCIDENT
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          YPSILANTI,MI                ROSWELL,NM
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
           FIRE OR EXPLOSION: IN FLIGHT                             IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           POWERPLANT - MISCELLANEOUS: POWERPLANT FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS
        FACTOR(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - FIRE IN ENGINE
        COMPLETE POWER LOSS - COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE/FLAMEOUT-1 ENGINE
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING ON AIRPORT/SEAPLANE BASE/HELIPT.
        REMARKS- DSNDG THRU 7500FT,FIRE BGN AFT ENG BACKFIRED.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N44DG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N44DG-1991-04-01), registration cancelled 1991-04-01, S/N 45373 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOUGLAS DC-6A
- Registry model: [Douglas DC-6A](https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-dc-6a) (registry code 3021706) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Minor damage
- Airport: Civic Memorial

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 19810305010579I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810305010579I), Mar 5, 1981: Doug DC6A, East Alton, IL, Minor damage. Engine fire was in engine accessory section. Engine had thrown a rod.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
