# NTSB DEN03IA067: Boeing 757-232, N6712B, Salt Lake City, UT, April 17, 2003 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: April 17, 2003, 09:17 local (15:17 UTC) - Place: Salt Lake City, UT - Coordinates: 40.788333, -111.977775 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7883&lon=-111.9778&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 123 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 56842 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03IA067 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56842/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03IA067 ## Probable cause total failure of a fuel flex line. A contributing factor was a fuel leak, resulting in an inflight engine compartment fire. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, climb - to cruise - fuel system,line - failure,total (cause) - fluid,fuel - leak (contributing factor) - Fire, climb - to cruise - fire extinguishing equipment - used, pilot in command ## Analysis As the airplane leveled off at 10,000 feet, the left engine fire warning light illuminated. An emergency was declared. When the left engine was shut down, the fire warning light remained illuminated and a fire bottle was discharged. The warning light remained illuminated. A second fire bottle was discharged and the warning light still remained illuminated. When the airplane was on final approach, the warning light extinguished. No visible fire was seen from the cabin or from the control tower. After an uneventful landing, the fire department met the airplane and determined there was some "residual smoke" but that the fire was extinguished. The airplane taxied to the gate and the passengers deplaned via the jetway. Engine examination revealed a flex line routed near the thrust reverser had failed. There was a fuel leak and a hole had burned through the shroud surrounding the hot section. ## Factual narrative On April 17, 2003, at 0917 mountain daylight time, a Boeing 757-232, N6712B, registered to and operated by Delta Air Lines, Inc., sustained minor damage when the left engine caught fire shortly after takeoff from Salt Lake City, Utah, International Airport. There were no injuries to the captain, first officer, four flight attendants, or 117 passengers. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan had been filed for the scheduled domestic passenger flight operating as flight 1901under Title 14 CFR Part 121. The flight originated from Salt Lake City at 0906, and was en route to Atlanta, Georgia. According to Delta Air Lines officials, the first officer was flying the airplane. As the airplane leveled off at 10,000 feet, the left engine fire warning light illuminated. An emergency was declared and the flight was cleared onto a downwind heading and a descent to 8,000 feet. When the left engine was shut down, the fire warning light remained illuminated and the captain discharged a fire bottle. The warning light remained illuminated. The captain then discharged a second fire bottle. The warning light still remained illuminated. When the airplane was on final approach, the warning light went out. No visible fire was seen from the cabin or from the control tower. After an uneventful landing, the fire department met the airplane and determined there was some "residual smoke" but that the fire was extinguished. The airplane taxied to the gate and the passengers deplaned via the jetway. Engine examination revealed a flex line routed near the thrust reverser had failed. There was a fuel leak and a hole had burned through the shroud surrounding the hot section. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6712B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6712B), registered now, S/N 30484, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Boeing 757-232 - Registry model: [Boeing 757-232](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-757-232) (registry code 1384965) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PW2037](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pw2037) (registry code 52117, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 30484 - Airframe hours: 8252 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney 2037 37000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Minor damage - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: Delta Air Lines, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, April 14, 2003 - Departed: SLC, Salt Lake City, UT - Destination: ATL, Atlanta, GA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: SLC, Salt Lake City International, runway 16R, 12,000 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review September 1, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 21,500 total, 4,552 in this make and model, 199 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 43; injuries: none; private, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review May 1, 2002; seat: rear; flight hours: 8,000 total, 2,551 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: SLC ## 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 20030417004369I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030417004369I), Apr 17, 2003: Boeing 757232, Salt Lake City, UT, Minor damage. (-23) At approximately 0907 hours local time, one to two minutes after takeoff, the pilot had a left engine fire warning light illuminate. Both fire bottles… 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.