# NTSB ERA13IA006: Lockheed WP-3D, N42RF, A1, November 9, 2007 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: November 9, 2007, 22:12 local (22:12 UTC) - Place: A1 - Coordinates: 37.635295, -72.862121 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6353&lon=-72.8621&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 6 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: NOAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 85246 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA13IA006 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85246/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85246 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13IA006 ## Probable cause Extensive salt buildup in the inlets of all four engines, which resulted in compressor stalls and tailpipe fires in three of the four engines. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, maneuvering - powerplant - contamination (cause) - powerplant - blocked(partial) (cause) - weather condition - other ## Analysis While maneuvering at 3,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, three of the airplane's four engines experienced compressor stalls and associated tailpipe fires. The flight crew was able to extinguish the three tailpipe fires and eventually restart the three engines. The airplane subsequently proceeded to its departure airport and landed uneventfully. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed extreme salt buildup in all four engines. After the salt was rinsed away with water, the engine efficiencies improved greatly and no other anomalies were noted. ## Factual narrative On February 09, 2007 at 2212 universal time coordinated (UTC), a Lockheed WP-3D Orion, N42RF, registered to and operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), experienced a loss of power on three of the four engines while maneuvering over the Atlantic Ocean 540 nautical miles east of St. John’s International Airport (CYYT), St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the public use. The airplane was not damaged and there were no injuries to the airline transport pilot aircraft commander (AC), co-pilot (CP), flight engineer (FE), or three other crew members. The flight originated from CYYT at 1823 UTC. The incident was investigated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and they reported their findings to NTSB. A copy of the NOAA report is contained in the NTSB docket for this incident. According to the AC, the majority of the flight was flown at 3000 feet mean sea level (msl) and below. About 2212 UTC, while flying over the Atlantic Ocean, the crew in the rear of the airplane declared a fire on the No. 3 engine while the cockpit crew simultaneously heard "popping" sounds. The AC ordered the shutdown of the No. 3 engine. The CP was completing the emergency checklist, when the aft crewmembers observed flames coming from the No. 4 engine, and the AC directed the shutdown of the No. 4 engine. About 5 minutes later, the aft crewmembers announced "fire on No. 1." The AC and FE noted a power loss and turbine inlet over-temperature on the No. 1 engine, without the associated fire light and warning horn. The AC directed the FE to pull back power on the No. 1 engine in an attempt to extinguish the flames. Believing that he heard the order to shut down the No. 1 engine, the FE pulled the emergency shutdown handle for the No. 1 engine. While operating single engine at 800 feet msl and 140 knots, the AC called for the immediate restart of the No. 1 engine. With the successful restart of the No. 1 engine, the airplane began a slow climb on two engines. The Nos. 3 and 4 engines were then successfully restarted, and the flight climbed to 14,000 feet msl. The flight ultimately landed uneventfully at CYYT. Post-flight inspection of the airplane by NOAA personnel revealed significant salt buildup on all engine intakes, and first stage compressors. The No. 2 engine appeared to exhibit the most buildup of the four engines. The airplane fuselage and windows were also heavily covered with salt. The next morning, engine efficiency tests were conducted on the engines. This was a process in which the engines are run at high and low power for an allotted amount of time. The results from the tests revealed the engines at the following efficiencies: Engine No. 1 – 87 percent Engine No. 2 – 88.9 percent Engine No. 3 – 90.3 percent Engine No. 4 – 91.3 percent This represented a drop in performance as the engines were normally in the 98 to 102 percent range. The engines were then rinsed and engine efficiency tests were conducted again with the following results: Engine No. 1 – 102.1 percent Engine No. 2 – 104.9 percent Engine No. 3 – 101.7 percent Engine No. 4 – 103.1 percent ## Aircraft - Registration: [N42RF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N42RF), registered now, S/N 5622 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LOCKHEED WP-3D - Registry model: [Lockheed WP-3D](https://openairdocs.org/model/lockheed-wp-3d) (registry code 5269902) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 5622 - Engines: Allison T56-14 turbo prop; turbo prop; turbo prop; turbo prop - Damage: No damage - Flight: Public aircraft - federal, Public use - Registered owner: United States Department Of Commerce - Airworthiness certificate: Unknown - Departed: CYYT, ST JOHN'S NFLD - Destination: CYYT, St. JOHN'S NFLD - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; injuries: none; airline transport, military; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 10, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 3,509 total, 2,909 in this make and model - Co-pilot; age 40; injuries: none; airline transport, military; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 24, 2006; seat: right; flight hours: 1,950 total, 660 in this make and model - Flight engineer; age 51; injuries: none; flight engineer; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 18, 2006; seat: center; flight hours: 6,978 total, 6,978 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night - Wind: 250° at 90 knots, gusting 10 - Visibility: 2 statute miles - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 29.45 inHg - Observed at: YYT, 500 nm away ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 13, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85246. 196 KB in all. - NOAA Final Report. (item 1, .PDF, 196 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380258&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NOAA%20Final%20Report.-Redacted.PDF 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.