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Accident report that reads like a movie

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mar

Remember this one?
Joined
Nov 27, 2001
Posts
1,929
I was shown this accident report just out of curiousity. It's a pretty dramatic read but I've editted it down for the sake of brevity. It's also a good glimpse into how things used to be.
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At approx. 0430 Manila Time, July 14, 1960, a Northwest Airlines DC7 operating as Flight 1-11, en route from Tokyo, Okinawa, Japan to Manila, Phillippine Islands, ditched in the Pacific Ocean approx. 67 miles northeast of the Manila Airport.

[All further times are Zulu]

At approx 1915, a considerable loss of power occured as indicated by a drop in Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP) and manifold pressure in the #2 engine. This suggested carb icing to the crew and caused them to apply alcohol to the carb, retard the throttle, place the mixture in auto-rich and apply carb heat. The engine ignition analyzer indicated nothing of an unusual nature. The oil qty indicator for #2 engine at this time showed only 8 gals which was 22 gals less than at depature from Tokyo.

The captain then noticed the oil-out temp for #2 engine was rising and the engine ignition analyzer showed irregular patters on 5 or 7 cylinders. The Capt and FE concurred in feathering the prop, but when the feather button was actuated the prop failed to feather and the engine RPM increased from 2350 to 2900. At this time the oil qty indicator for the #2 engine registered empty.

The FE tried to tried to transfer oil from the reserve tank in an additional attempt to feather the prop; however it did not feather. After reducing the airspeed the #2 engine RPM fluctuated between 2150 and 2350. It was also noted at this time that the #2 engine would not come out of high blower.

The decent from 18,000 feet to 10,000 feet was begun at an indicated airspeed of 130 kts with the landing gear and flaps extended. The Capt alerted the cabin attendents to prepare for ditching and to evacuate the hazardous area in line with the #2 prop.

At 1940 the Capt declared an emergency to Manila Radio and requested an intercept by rescue aircraft.

Shortly thereafter, the FE noted sparks and white smoke coming from the #2 engine. However no flames were visible and no evidence of oil was present on the wing or the engine nacelle. The Capt and FE concurred in an attempt to stop the engine rotation by actuating the firewall shutoff valve, thereby depriving the engine of lubricant. Sparks came from the engine, loud thumping noises were heard, and activation of the fire warning system occurred. Accordingly, the fire extinguishing system was used, but without effect. At this time the prop wrenched free of the engine striking the fuselage about in line with its plane of rotation slashing a hole some 15 inches in diameter above the overhead rack at the first seat forward of the left restroom. A red glow was noted on the front casing and changed rapidly into a white glow. There was a continuous fire warning light from the #2 engine and the fire extinguisher was again used but was ineffectual.

The Capt then began a 3000 foot per min descent from 10,000 feet at an airspeed of from 100 to 115 kts with the gear and flaps down. The navigator and FE were ordered to proceed to their emergency stations in the cabin.

The descent was made on instruments and in darkness. Moderate rain showers increased the intensity of the magnesium fire in the #2 engine. At 1000 feet power was applied, the gear was retracted, and the flaps were raised to the approach setting of 30 degrees. An airspeed of approx 100 kts and a descent rate of 100 to 200 fpm were maintained. The FO was directed to watch for the water and when he saw it he shouted, "There's the water! Pull up! Pull up!" The Capt immediately started the flaps up the FO then started them down again, at which time the Capt pulled the control wheel all the way back. Seconds later the aircraft struck the water.

Upon final contact with the water, the aft end of the fuselage broke free at the rear of the pressure bulkhead and sank immediately. At the same time the right wing was torn free at the fuselage and it two engines were torn out and sank. This wing floated for about three hours, temporarily serving as a liferaft for several passengers. The remainder of the fuselage, with the left wing attatched, sank some 8 or 10 minutes after impact.

The crews of a Coast Guard amphibious aircraft and a US Navy aircraft arrived on the scene between approx two hours and six hours after the ditching. These two aircraft took aboard all survivors, and a fatality, and taxied 10 to 12 miles to Polillo Island.

Based on the crew's testimony as to the sequence of events in the failure of the #2 engine it is probably that the initial failure occurred to components in the two-speed impeller drive system. Failures in this assembly result in appreciable power loss and sudden drop in manifold pressure.

A failure of this type requires immediate feathering of the prop due to the metal particles that are circulated thoughout the engine causing failure of bearings and bushings.

The failure was not immediately diagnosed by the flight crew. Believeing their difficulty was carb ice, they spent a period of time trying to restore power by use of remedial action associated with icing. It was not apparent to the crew that an internal failure was in progress until the oil-out temp started to rise.

It appears that the increase in engine RPM was due to contamination of the prop governor. It is most likely that the pilot valve became stuck in the "up" position due to metal contamination, which would've resulted in an overspeed. Additionally, other valves in the governor, including the feathering by-pass valve, could fail to function properly if the metal particles were restricing their movement.

Conclusions:
--The #2 engine lost power because of a failure in the two-speed impeller drive system. The failure was allowed to progress until complete internal disintegration of the engine's parts occurred. Attempts to feather the prop failed due to metal contamination. Friction heat at the prop thrust bearing and reduction gear assemblies caused a magnesium fire in the nose case.

--The crew decided to ditch due to the possibility of structural failure. Emergency evacuation was accomplished efficiently
 
>>>>>The Capt and FE concurred in an attempt to stop the engine rotation by actuating the firewall shutoff valve, thereby depriving the engine of lubricant.

My mind was screaming no even before I finished reading that sentence .....jeeezus. I don't think it was a coincidence that they started getting fire warnings *after* thay pulled the firewall shutoff. Oil contaminated with metal particles is nuch better than no oil at all. Wonder if perhaps they didn't notice the oil temp rise until too late because they had the coolers in auto
 
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survivors/injuries/fatalities

Boscenter: 58 occupants (7 crew). Forty-four minor injuries. One fatality (they didn't say what she died of).

Asquared: Kind of a double-edged sword, eh? You can't feather the prop due to contamination so you seize the engine and start a fire....:eek:

And what about the whole carb ice thing? Carb ice on *one* engine? C'mon! I hate monday morning quarter-backing (especially after 43 years!) but I wonder what (or who) led them down that rosey path.

Interesting things to think about though....
 
Read "Fate is the Hunter." Full of stories like this.

The book is dedicated to all airline pilots killed on duty up to that time - a list that takes up many pages.
 
mar said:
... Flight 1-11, en route from Tokyo, Okinawa, Japan to Manila, Phillippine Islands, ...
But Tokyo is NOT in Okinawa !

Okinawa is the largest of a chain of islands (the Ryukyus) located to the south of Mainland Japan.
 
Busted!

TonyC--Thanks for the correction.

The flight had departed Tokyo and it developed the problem after it passed Okinawa.

Like I said, I did a little (lots!) of editting to make it a quick read. I guess I condensed too much in one sentence.

:cool:
 

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