What's the story of this crash in 1983?

[Northern Lights]

Does anyone know the story about This Crash ?

 

[414Flyer]

Fire in the lav....23 died..

 

[Northern Lights]

found it

NTSB Identification: DCA83AA028 . The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number 20436.

Scheduled 14 CFR Part 129: Foreign operation of AIR CANADA

Accident occurred Thursday, June 02, 1983 in COVINGTON, KY

Aircraft: DOUGLAS DC-9-32, registration: CFTLU

Injuries: 23 Fatal, 3 Serious, 13 Minor, 7 Uninjured.

AT ABOUT 1903 EDT, WHILE ENROUTE AT FL 330, THE CABIN CREW DISCOVERED A FIRE IN THE AFT LAVATORY. AFTER CONTACTING ATC & DECLARING AN EMERGENCY, THE FLT CREW MADE AN EMERGENCY DESCENT & ATC VECTORED THE ACFT TO THE GREATER CINCINNATI INTL ARPT. AT 1920, THE ACFT WAS LANDED ON RWY 27L. AS THE AIRCREW STOPPED THE PLANE, FIRE DEPT PLERSONNEL MOVED IN PLACE & BEGAN FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS. ALSO, AS THE PLANE STOPPED, THE OCCUPANTS BEGAN EVACUATIONS THE ACFT. ABOUT 60 TO 90 SEC AFTER THE EXITS WERE OPENED, A FLASH FIRE ENVELOPED THE INTERIOR OF THE ACFT. 23 PASSENGERS WERE UNABLE TO EXIT THE ACFT & DIED IN THE FIRE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT 3 FLUSH MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS HAD POPPED ABOUT 11 MIN BEFORE SMOKE WAS DETECTED. THE CAPTAIN MISCONSTRUED REPORTS THAT THE FIRE WAS ABATING WHEN HE RECEIVED CONFLICTING FIRE PROGRESS REPORTS. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE LANDED AT THE CINCINNATI INTL ARPT RATHER THAN AT LOUISVILLE WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED HIM TO LAND 3 TO 5 MIN SOONER. WET TOWELS & BREATHING THRU CLOTHING AIDED SURVIVAL. FIRE SOURCE UNK.


The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

MISC EQPT/FURNISHINGS,LAVATORIES..FIRE
SAFETY ADVISORY..CONFLICTING..OTHER CREWMEMBER
UNSAFE/HAZARDOUS CONDITION..NOT UNDERSTOOD..PILOT IN COMMAND



Contributing Factors

FUSELAGE,CABIN..SMOKE
FUSELAGE,CREW COMPARTMENT..SMOKE
DELAYED

 

[skeezer]

It is my understanding that the fire was caused by one of the pilots holding the lav flushmotor circuit breaker in to keep it from continually popping. Eventually it welded itself shut and thus the fire began.

At least that is what I heard from several Canadian pilots, it could be wrong however.

Skeezer

 

[SkyWestCRJPilot]

I guesst the moral of the story is:

1. Don't keep resetting a popped circuit breaker.

2. Treat any fire, even the smallest, as a dire emergency and land immediately.

 

[mar]

What about the pressurization?

I came across this accident in a groundschool a few years ago and vaguely remember the details.

Wasn't there something about the smoke evacuation when they lost pressurization after they selected flight idle....?

...something about the bleed air regulators....?

...man I can't remember the details and I tried a Google search but didn't come up with anything.

Anyone else remember the details?

 

[5w5flyer]

I thought this was caused by a passenger smoking in the lav. I think this accident is the reason we have smoke alarms in lavs, and a federal law that prohibts breaking it.

 

[skeezer]

Here is a link to the CVR transcripts from that flight:

http://aviation-safety.net/cvr/cvr_ac797.shtml

Skeezer