# NTSB NYC90IA219: Boeing 727-231, N74317, New York City, NY, September 10, 1990

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · Minor injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: September 9, 1990, 22:32 local (Sep 10, 1990, 02:32 UTC)
- Place: New York City, NY
- Coordinates: 40.770534, -73.869941 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7705&lon=-73.8699&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 3 minor, 150 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 30, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36558
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC90IA219
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36558/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC90IA219

## Probable cause

THE EXHAUST PIPE FIRE IN THE APU WHICH RESULTED IN AN UNAUTHORIZED EVACUATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE PASSENGERS.

## Sequence of events

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

- Fire, taxi - from landing
  - auxiliary power unit - fire (cause)
  - evacuation - uncontrolled, passenger (cause)
  - panic, passenger (cause)

## 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](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N74317-1995-10-11), registration cancelled 1995-10-11, S/N 20050 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 727-231
- Registry model: [Boeing 727-231](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-727-231) (registry code 1384079) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 20050
- Engines: P&W JT8D-9A-15A 14500 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

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 53; 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

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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