- Date
- September 9, 1990, 22:32 local (Sep 10, 1990, 02:32 UTC)
- Place
- New York City, NY
- Injuries
- 3 minor, 150 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N74317Boeing 727-231
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report December 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 36558
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 exhaust pipe fire in the APU which resulted in an unauthorized evacuation of the airplane by the passengers.
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
After landing and during taxi to the gate, the crew attempted to start the APU. The APU torched and flames came out near the right wing. A passenger sitting near the window shouted fire. A passenger on the left side of the airplane sitting near the over wing emergency exit opened the exit and started an unwarranted evacuation while the airplane was still moving. The cabin and flight crew attempted to restore order, but many of the passengers were already out on the wing and opening doors. A flight attendant activated the evacuation alarm and flight crew brought the airplane to a stop. The airplane was completely evacuated and towed to the gate.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N74317
- Reported as
- Boeing 727-231
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20050
- Engine
- P&W JT8D-9A-15A, 14,500 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Trans World Airlines
- Departed
- FLL · Ft Lauderdale, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- LGA · Laguardia, runway 22
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 16,109 total · 3,953 in this make and model · 4,778 as pilot in command · 216 in the last 90 days · 72 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point -0 °F