- Date
- October 17, 1991, 14:06 local (19:06 UTC)
- Place
- Houston, TX
- Injuries
- 154 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- PHBUUBoeing 747-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 18385
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 pilot's failure to attain proper runway alignment prior to touchdown and his failure to initiate a go around to remedy the situation. A factor was the low altitude at which he initiated the side step maneuver for which he was cleared.
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
The pilot allowed the right outboard engine pod to drag on the runway while landing. The international flight executed a ILS approach to runway 14 and when they were handed over to the tower, they requested a visual approach to runway 8. The tower cleared the flight for the side step maneuver. The captain delayed initiating the side step maneuver until he was 350 feet AGL, and banked the airplane to the left, attaining a bank of 32.6 degrees, followed by 20.8 degrees bank to the right at 18 feet AGL. Final approach alignment was not obtained causing the engine to drag on the runway. A fire erupted in the bottom aft section of the engine cowling as a result of a broken fuel filter drain line. The fire was extinguished with onboard fire suppressants.
Aircraft
- Registration
- PHBUU
- Reported as
- Boeing 747-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Engine
- GE CF6-50, 52,500 horsepower, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 129
- Operator
- Klm Royal Dutch Airline
- Registered owner
- Klm Royal Dutch Airline
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- MEX · Mexico City
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- IAH · Houston, runway 9, 9,401 × 150 ft, concrete
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificates
- Foreign, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 11,969 total · 2,494 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg