Airbus A-320-212 N341NW

Summary

On 16 February 1998 at about 18:40 local time, a Airbus A-320-212 registered N341NW was involved in an incident near Memphis, Tennessee, United States. 117 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 February 1998 at 18:40

Classification

Incident

Location

Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Airbus A-320-212

Registration

N341NW

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Detroit → Mexico City

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI98IA095

Nobody was injured.

the inadequate (bronze) material used by the fuel pump's manufacturer, which wore and ultimately blocked the fuel filter bypass and partially blocked the fuel nozzles, causing the fuel spray to burn through the low pressure turbine case.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While en route from Detroit to Mexico City , the flightcrew received a warning message from the Engine Condition and Monitoring System (ECAS) that the No. 1 fuel filter was clogged. The flight was subsequently diverted to Memphis for a precautionary landing. Post-landing examination of the engine revealed a 4-inch long (circumferential) by 1-inch wide (axial) burn-through in the low pressure turbine case in the plane of the 2nd stage turbine stators at the 11 o'clock location. The examination of the fuel pump filter revealed the presence of a bronze-colored material. The fuel nozzles were reported to have bronze-colored material in the nozzle jets. Records show that the fuel pump had operated 17,208 hours time since new and 6,972 cycles since new. The disassembly of the pump revealed the pump housing had gear pocket milling. The fixed and driven bearings, which are made of bronze, were worn. The fuel pump's filter bypass valve was found to have bronze-colored particles on both sides of the valve. The fuel pump's four bearings were made of bronze and all four bearings exhibited wear and material loss.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.