NYC95LA083

The flight crew was informed by the flight crew of another airplane that there was a tailpipe fire in the number 2 engine. The crew shut down the engine using the engine fire checklist; however, crash fire rescue personnel reported that smoke and fire continued. The captain ordered an emergency evacuation, during which two passengers were seriously injured. Examination of the engine and subsequent test cell running revealed no anomalies.

On April 2, 1995 about 0913 eastern daylight time, American Airline Flight 719, N1768D, McDonald Douglas MD-11 aircraft, had an emergency evacuation following an engine fire while taxiing at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Jamaica, New York. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. There were 109 occupants aboard and 35 were injured during the evacuation. The airplane was not damaged. The destination was Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 121.

In the NTSB form 6120.1/2, American Airlines manager of flight safety stated:

On taxi-out, while running the taxi checklist, the crew noticed 3 faults: (1) EPCU (Electrical Power Control Unit) fault, (2) number 2 engine anti-ice disagree light, (3) number 2 engine hydraulic pumps 1 and 2 would not come on line. Since resetting the hydraulic pumps had been unsuccessful, the first officer attempted to contact maintenance. Concurrently, the flight crew of a Gulf Air airplane reported to ground control that the number 2 engine had smoke and fire in the tailpipe. The captain directed a shutdown of the engine using the engine fire checklist. Subsequently another aircraft confirmed the existence of fire and smoke. The agent 1 bottle was discharged and following the crash fire rescue confirmation of fire continuing, the agent 2 bottle was discharged and an evacuation was commanded. Of the 99 passengers and crew of 10, 32 passengers were taken to local hospitals, two with major injuries: a broken ankle and a strained vertebrae ligament. Examination of the engine and subsequent test cell running revealed no anomalies. It is believed the number 2 engine experienced a tailpipe fire which may have been corrected through continued motoring of the engine.