- Date
- January 1, 1994, 06:59 local (11:59 UTC)
- Place
- Miami, FL
- Injuries
- 169 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N648UABoeing 767-322
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940101002249I
- Case key
- 37439
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
Emergency procedure initiated by an unqualified person.
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 airplane had been pushed from the gate and the #1 engine had been started. During engine start of the #2 engine, a high fuel flow was observed by the flight crew and a passenger in the right side of the airplane observed a flame aft of the exhaust. The passenger shouted 'fire', opened the #2L door and deployed the emergency escape slide. The passengers began an uncommanded evacuation of the airplane. The captain was advised by a flight attendant that the remaining passengers wanted to evacuate the airplane and the captain directed that the #1L and #1R doors be opened and the emergency escape slides utilized. The captain secured the engines, entered the cabin and then stopped the evacuation of the remaining 24 people.
Factual narrative
On January 1, 1994, about 0659 eastern standard time, N648UA, a Boeing 767-322, operated by United Airlines Inc. as flight 984, scheduled, domestic, passenger service from Miami, Florida, to Chicago, Illinois, experienced a passenger initiated emergency evacuation on the ramp at the Miami International Airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was not damaged and the airline transport-rated captain and first officer, 5 flight attendants, and 162 passengers were not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the incident.
The airplane had been pushed away from the gate and the No/1 engine had been started. During the No/2 engine start, the fuel flow was reportedly high and a flame aft of the engine exhaust was observed by a passenger seated on the right side of the cabin. The passenger then shouted "fire", opened the No/2L door and deployed the slide. Passengers then began an uncommanded evacuation the airplane. The No/1 flight attendant advised the captain that passengers were evacuating and the remainder of the passengers wanted to evacuate the airplane. The captain directed that the No/1L and No/1R doors be opened and the emergency escape slides deployed for continued evacuation of the airplane. The captain secured the engines then entered the cabin and stopped the emergency evacuation of the remaining 24 people.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N648UA
- Reported as
- Boeing 767-322
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25285
- Airframe hours
- 5,781
- Engine
- P&W 4060, 47,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- United Airlines Inc.
- Registered owner
- Wilmington Trust Co.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · October 25, 1993 · 846 hours before
- Departed
- MIA
- Destination
- ORD · Chicago, IL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MIA · Miami International
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
- 51
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 15,061 total · 355 in this make and model · 15,061 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 100° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 13,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MIA, 1 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.