Aviation Crash Map

Boeing 737-300 N962WP

17 April 1997 · Colorado Spgs, Colorado, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 17 April 1997 at about 02:50 local time, a Boeing 737-300 registered N962WP, operated by Western Pacific, was involved in an incident near Colorado Spgs, Colorado, United States. 125 people were on board and nobody was injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 02:50
Classification
Incident
Location
Colorado Spgs, Colorado, United States
Nearest airport
Colorado Springs (COS)
Coordinates
38.7493, -104.8791
Aircraft
Boeing 737-300
Registration
N962WP
Category
Airplane
Engines
2
Operator
Western Pacific
Operating rule
Part 121: Air Carrier
Purpose of flight
Unknown
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Houston → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Not recorded
Weather
VMC
Light
Night/Dark
NTSB number
FTW97IA160

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
125 0 0 0 125

Probable cause

An oil leak around the APU aft bearing seal which resulted in a fire in the APU exhaust.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While on short final to land, at approximately 200 feet above ground level, the APU fire warning light illuminated. The crew performed the appropriate procedures and the fire warning light extinguished. After landing, the crew had the fire department visually inspect the aircraft and follow the aircraft to the gate where the passengers were off loaded in normal fashion. Examination and testing of the APU revealed that a fire had occurred in the APU exhaust as a result of oil entering the hot exhaust gas stream due to leakage around the aft turbine bearing seal. The seal evidenced scoring around its circumference and the seal surface was treated, in accordance with the maintenance manual, by Metco spray. Due to previous history of oil leakage around the seals treated with Metco Spray, in 1988, Allied Signal changed the treatment to Tungsten carbide which eliminated the leakage problem. However, due to some operators having difficulty in obtaining the Tungsten carbide coating, the Metco spray coating procedure was left in the overhaul manual.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Boeing 737 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
26 Dec 1997 Boeing 737-522
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Eugene, Oregon, United States - No injuries -
11 May 1997 Boeing 737-524
N16618
Corpus Christi, Texas, United States Continental Airlines, Inc. No injuries -
27 Sep 1997 Boeing 737-3T0
N13331
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24 Sep 1997 Boeing 737-200RS
N205AU
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States Frontier Airlines, Inc. Minor injuries -
8 May 1997 Boeing 737-300 Shenzhen, China
no coordinates
China Southern Airlines Fatal 35
20 Jun 1997 Boeing 737-548
EI-CDT
Copenhagen, Denmark
no coordinates
AER Lingus No injuries -

All 1,317 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
18 Jun 1997 Piper PA-32-300T
N8056Y
Del Norte, Colorado, United States - No injuries -
27 Jun 1997 Piper PA-28-140
N6306R
Leadville, Colorado, United States Michael S. Luther Minor injuries -
27 Jun 1997 Rans S-12 Airaile S-12
N2117X
Fort Collins, Colorado, United States - Serious injuries -
27 Jun 1997 Cessna 305A
N5225G
Watkins, Colorado, United States - No injuries -
27 Jun 1997 Cessna 210
N9417T
Peyton, Colorado, United States - No injuries -
4 Jul 1997 Let BLANIK L-13
N65378
Pagosa Springs, Colorado, United States
no coordinates
- Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States