- Date
- March 14, 1989, 09:12 local (15:12 UTC)
- Place
- Greenville, TX
- Injuries
- 7 minor, 91 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N511DABoeing 727-232
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890314025039I
- Case key
- 22799
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
False fire warning, which resulted from (1) contaminants on hardware at one end of the fire detection loop; and (2) an electrical short on both elements of the loop.
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
Acft made a precautionary landing after getting a fire warning indication in the #2 eng. Initially the indications, both the fire warning light and bell, were intermittent; however, they then went to steady and the crew secured the eng and discharged both fire bottles with no effect. Investigation revealed that there had not been a fire or over temp condition and that the engine fire detection loop was shorted out on both elements. Contaminants were found on the connectors and pins of one end of the loop during initial insp. After handling and shipment to the operator's maintenance facility, the short disappeared and could not be duplicated. Loop met all manufacturering specifications and functioned normally during all testing. Contaminants appeared to be engine oil and hydraulic fluid. No determination was made about how or when the contaminants were introduced to the hermetically sealed connectors.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N511DA
- Reported as
- Boeing 727-232
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21313
- Airframe hours
- 35,431
- Engine
- P&W JT8D-15, 15,500 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- Delta Air Lines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · March 12, 1989 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- ATL · Atlanta, GA
- Destination
- SAN · San Diego, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- GVT · Majors Fld, runway 17, 8,029 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13,361 total · 7,980 in this make and model · 125 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 14 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GVT
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.