- Date
- May 3, 1991, 05:53 local (09:53 UTC)
- Place
- Windsor Locks, CT
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N425EXBoeing 727-100QC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19910503013979A
- Case key
- 36792
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A catastrophic and uncontained failure of the no.3 engine which resulted in a fuel fed fire.
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
N425EX was on the takeoff roll when the flightcrew experienced a 'thump' that resounded through the airplane. They also observed erratic engine indications from the no.3 engine. The captain aborted the takeoff and stopped the airplane on the runway. The fire warning system activated on the no.3 engine after the airplane came to rest. The crew attempted to extinguish the fire with the airplane's fire extinguishing system; however, they were unsuccessful. The post accident examination of the no.3 engine revealed the high pressure compressor disk had failed due to a fatigue crack that originated from a corrosion pit. The shrapnel from the disk penetrated the engine nacelle and severed the main fuel line for the engine. The fuel ignited and burned into the fuselage, igniting the 12,600 lbs of cargo (U.S. Mail).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N425EX
- Reported as
- Boeing 727-100QC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19095
- Airframe hours
- 46,981
- Engine
- P&W JT8D-7B, 15,000 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Ryan International Airlines
- Registered owner
- First Security Bank Of Utah
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · March 18, 1991 · 151 hours before
- Destination
- BOS · Boston, MA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- BDL · Bradley International, runway 33, 6,846 × 200 ft, asphalt
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
- 56
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 8,500 total · 3,600 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BDL, 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.