MIA84IA064

NTSB incident investigation · Douglas DC-9-51 · Tampa, FL · January 21, 1984

Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal report
Date
January 21, 1984, 10:05 local (15:05 UTC)
Place
Tampa, FL
Injuries
33 uninjured
Damage
Minor damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N401EADouglas DC-9-51
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19840121025549I
Case key
31033

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.

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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.

Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malfClimb - to cruise
Turbine assembly,seal - improperCause
Maintenance,replacement - improperCause
Turbine assembly,seal - failure,partialCause
Turbine assembly,seal - leakCause
Fluid,oil - overtemperature
Lubricating system - blocked(partial)
Turbine assembly,shaft - failure,total

Analysis

While climbing after takeoff thru about 3000 ft, the crew noted that the #2 epr had dropped about .08, from aprx 1.82 to 1.74 epr. Shortly after that, the 1st officer noted that the avm on the #2 eng was at the max indication. At about 4000 ft, there was a loud explosive type noise from the rear of the acft as the right eng lost power. The crew secured the right eng, returned to Tampa & landed without further incident. An exam revealed that turbine blades had exited the side of the eng tailpipe. Teardown revealed that the high pressure compressor center tube sealing ring had an aprx 1 in (circumferential) piece of hard surface plating missing from the outside diameter sealing surface. This failure was in axial alignment with a gap in the rear piston ring. Neither ring comformed to design specs. There was evidence that hot air caused coking of the oil. The turbine shaft had failed aprx 13 inches forward of the 4-1/2 bearing. The 4-1/2 bearing seals were damaged, 7 displayed coke deposits. The low press turbine moved aft intermeshing blades & stators.

Aircraft

Registration
N401EA
Reported as
Douglas DC-9-51
Category
Airplane
Serial number
920VJ
Airframe hours
23,349
Engine
P&W JT8D-17, 16,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
Damage
Minor damage
Flight
Part 121
Registered owner
Eastern Airlines Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Transport
Departed
TPA · Tampa, FL
Destination
ATL · Atlanta, GA
Flight plan
IFR

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
Certificate
Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Unknown, Unknown
Seat
Left
Flight hours
8,952 total · 1,023 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
20° at 17 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
3,000 ft overcast
Temperature
41 °F, dew point 36 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
PIE, 2 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.