Lockheed WP-3D N42RF

Summary

On 9 November 2007 at about 22:12 local time, a Lockheed WP-3D registered N42RF was involved in an incident near Unknown. 6 people were on board and nobody was injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 November 2007 at 22:12

Classification

Incident

Location

Unknown

Coordinates

37.6353, -72.8621

Aircraft

Lockheed WP-3D

Registration

N42RF

Category

Airplane

Engines

4

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St John's Nfld → St. JOHN'S NFLD

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ERA13IA006

Nobody was injured.

Extensive salt buildup in the inlets of all four engines, which resulted in compressor stalls and tailpipe fires in three of the four engines.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While maneuvering at 3,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, three of the airplane's four engines experienced compressor stalls and associated tailpipe fires. The flight crew was able to extinguish the three tailpipe fires and eventually restart the three engines. The airplane subsequently proceeded to its departure airport and landed uneventfully. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed extreme salt buildup in all four engines. After the salt was rinsed away with water, the engine efficiencies improved greatly and no other anomalies were noted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.