Boeing B-727-100 N189FE

Summary

On 13 July 2001 at about 09:28 local time, a Boeing B-727-100 registered N189FE was involved in an incident near Memphis, Tennessee, United States. 3 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

13 July 2001 at 09:28

Classification

Incident

Location

Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Memphis International Arpt (MEM)

Coordinates

35.0356, -89.9686

Aircraft

Boeing B-727-100

Registration

N189FE

Category

Airplane

Engines

3

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Memphis → Indianapolis

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ATL01IA083

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the #3 engine starter turbine.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After takeoff using standard power at 100 feet above ground level (AGL) the #3 engine fire warning light with normal engine indications illuminated. While the captain and second officer accomplished the engine fire/severe damage checklist the #3 oil low pressure light came on and the #3 generator tripped off. The fire warning light did not go out until the second fire bottle was used. They declared an emergency with the tower, and made a normal landing and taxied clear of the runway. Emergency crews inspected the airplane and observed no indication of fire. They subsequently did a normal taxi back to the gate and there was a normal shutdown. Examination of the engine found the starter turbine was missing from the starter assembly, however, the turbine was recovered from the engine cowling. All of the tips on the full length airfoils had rub marks with material displaced away from the direction of rotation. The starter shaft was separated 2 1/4-inchs from the impeller. The bearing was broken and rubbed flush to the shaft. The ignition exciter box brackets were burned and the box was hanging by the cable. The ignition exciter box was burned open.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.