# NTSB MIA85IA086: CASA 212, N436CA, Arecibo, PR, January 25, 1985

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: January 25, 1985, 19:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place: Arecibo, PR
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 16 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 31280
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA85IA086
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/31280/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA85IA086

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Fire/explosion, climb - to cruise
  - turbine assembly,shaft bearing - failure,total (cause)
  - maintenance,alignment - improper, manufacturer (cause)
  - maintenance,overhaul - improper, manufacturer (contributing factor)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency

## Analysis

WHILE ON A SCHEDULED INTERNATIONAL COMMUTER FLIGHT DURING CLIMB THE CREW NOTED A FIRE IN THE NUMBER ONE ENGINE. THE EXECUTED THE EMERGENCY CHECKLIST AND DISCHARGED TWO FIREBOTTLES. THE FLAMES CONTINUED TO EXIT THE TAILPIPE. THE CREW EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO AN INTERMIDIATE FIELD AND SHUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN, AT WHICH TIME THE FIRE STOPPED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE AFT TURBINE BEARING WAS FAILED AND EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF BEING BEARING WAS FAILED AND EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF BEING MIS-ALIGNED AT INSTALLATION. ALSO NOTED WAS THE FACT THAT THE BEARING RETAINER EXIBITED NO EVIDENCE OF BEING NITRIDED AS REQUIRED WHICH ACCELERATED  THE FAILURE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N436CA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CASA 212
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 287
- Airframe hours: 3115
- Engines: GARRETT 331-10-511C 605 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Minor damage
- Fire: In-Flight
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Prinair, doing business as Prinair
- Registered owner: Prinair
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, January 14, 1985, 90 hours before
- Departed: SJU, SAN JUAN, PR
- Destination: MDST, SANTIAGO, OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: ABO, Arecibo, runway 8, 3,975 × 60 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 42; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 19,000 total, 500 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 90° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: SJU, 40 nm away

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.