# NTSB NYC86FA076: Lockheed L-1011-385-1, N309EA, Jamaica, NY, February 15, 1986

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: February 15, 1986, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place: Jamaica, NY
- Coordinates: 40.650398, -73.789817 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6504&lon=-73.7898&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 14 minor, 238 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 30177
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC86FA076
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/30177/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC86FA076

## Sequence of events

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

- Miscellaneous/other, taxi
  - judgment - misjudged, passenger (cause)
  - panic, other person (contributing factor)
  - supervision - inadequate, flight attendant (contributing factor)
  - crew/group coordination - delayed, pilot in command
  - judgment - misjudged, pilot in command

## Analysis

THE NO. 3 ENG TORCHED DURING A START ATTEMPT AND RESULTED IN A INTERNAL ENG TAILCONE FIRE. SEVERAL PAXS PANICKED UPON SEEING THE TORCH FLAME/TAILCONE FIRE AND BETWEEN 30 TO 50 PAXS MADE AN UNAUTHORIZED EVACUATION OF THE ACFT VIA THE L3 AND L4 EXITS. PAXS INITIATED THE EVACUATION AT THE UNATTENDED L3 EXIT. A F/A MISTAKENLY ASSUMED THAT AN AUTHORIZED EVACUATION WAS IN EFFECT AND THEREFORE OPENED L4 AND ALLOWED FURTHER PAXS TO EVACUATE. THE EVACUATION OF THE ACFT WAS LATER STOPPED AND BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL. THE FLT CREW WAS AT FIRST NEITHER AWARE OF THE ENG TORCH AND SUBSEQUENT TAILCONE FIRE NOR THE EVACUATION. WHEN THEY LEARNED OF THE TAILCONE FIRE THEY MOTORED THE ENG IN ORDER TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WHICH THEY BELIEVED WAS UNDER CONTROL AND THEREFORE REQUESTED NO EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. HOWEVER, ATC WAS ALERTED BY PILOTS IN NEARBY ACFT ABOUT THE OCCURRENCE AND ATC NOTIFIED CFR WHO RESPONDED TO THE SITE. THE NOS. 1 & 2 ENGS REMAINED RUNNING DURING THE INCIDENT AND CREATED A HAZARDOUS CONDITION FOR CFR/EVACUEES. ENGS WERE LATER STOPPED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N309EA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N309EA-1989-05-05), registration cancelled 1989-05-05, S/N 193A1010 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LOCKHEED L-1011-385-1 (L-1011-385)
- Registry model: [Lockheed L-1011-385-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/lockheed-l-1011-385-1) (registry code 5265010) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 193A-1010
- Engines: ROLLS-ROYCE RB-211-2B 42000 lbs thrust turbo jet
- Damage: No damage
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Eastern Airlines
- Registered owner: Eastern Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: JAMAICA, NY
- Destination: MIA, MIAMI, FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: JFK, Jfk Internatl

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 59; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 14,468 total, 3,509 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright
- Wind: 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 30 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: JFK

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19860215037189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860215037189A), Feb 15, 1986: Lkheed 10113851, New York, NY. NR3 engine had tailcone fire on start up. Passenger panicked made unauthorized evacuation with 2 engines operating.

## Other investigations on N309EA (1)

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.

- [NTSB DCA81AA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA81AA027), Sep 22, 1981: Lockheed L-1011 (N309EA), Colts Neck, NJ, substantial damage

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.

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