Plane Crash List

Boeing 727-232 N511DA

14 March 1989 · Greenville, Texas, United States · Minor injuries

Summary

On 14 March 1989 at about 15:12 local time, a Boeing 727-232 registered N511DA was involved in an incident near Greenville, Texas, United States. 98 people were on board and 7 had minor injuries. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 15:12
Classification
Incident
Location
Greenville, Texas, United States
Nearest airport
Majors Fld (GVT)
Coordinates
33.1898, -96.1091
Aircraft
Boeing 727-232
Registration
N511DA
Category
Airplane
Engines
3
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 121: Air Carrier
Purpose of flight
Unknown
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Atlanta → San Diego
Aircraft damage
Not recorded
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
FTW89IA067

People

7 people had minor injuries.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
98 0 0 7 91

Probable cause

FALSE FIRE WARNING, WHICH RESULTED FROM (1) CONTAMINANTS ON HARDWARE AT ONE END OF THE FIRE DETECTION LOOP; AND (2) AN ELECTRICAL SHORT ON BOTH ELEMENTS OF THE LOOP.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

ACFT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AFTER GETTING A FIRE WARNING INDICATION IN THE #2 ENG. INITIALLY THE INDICATIONS, BOTH THE FIRE WARNING LIGHT AND BELL, WERE INTERMITTENT; HOWEVER, THEY THEN WENT TO STEADY AND THE CREW SECURED THE ENG AND DISCHARGED BOTH FIRE BOTTLES WITH NO EFFECT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THERE HAD NOT BEEN A FIRE OR OVER TEMP CONDITION AND THAT THE ENGINE FIRE DETECTION LOOP WAS SHORTED OUT ON BOTH ELEMENTS. CONTAMINANTS WERE FOUND ON THE CONNECTORS AND PINS OF ONE END OF THE LOOP DURING INITIAL INSP. AFTER HANDLING AND SHIPMENT TO THE OPERATOR'S MAINTENANCE FACILITY, THE SHORT DISAPPEARED AND COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. LOOP MET ALL MANUFACTURERING SPECIFICATIONS AND FUNCTIONED NORMALLY DURING ALL TESTING. CONTAMINANTS APPEARED TO BE ENGINE OIL AND HYDRAULIC FLUID. NO DETERMINATION WAS MADE ABOUT HOW OR WHEN THE CONTAMINANTS WERE INTRODUCED TO THE HERMETICALLY SEALED CONNECTORS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Boeing 727 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
10 Aug 1989 Boeing 727-224
N88709
Los Angeles, California, United States
no coordinates
Continental Airlines No injuries -
15 Dec 1989 Boeing 727
N64339
Ormond Beach, Florida, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
23 May 1989 Boeing 727-100
N97891
Guantanamo
no coordinates
Gulf Air Transport No injuries -
27 Dec 1989 Boeing 727-225B
N822EA
Miami, Florida, United States
no coordinates
Eastern Air Lines, Inc Fatal 1
14 Oct 1989 Boeing 727-232
N530DA
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States - Minor injuries -
9 Dec 1989 Boeing 727-31
N727PJ
Newark, New Jersey, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -

All 512 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
24 Apr 1989 Cessna 150
N63467
San Antonio, Texas, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
27 Apr 1989 Mooney M20J
N201TP
Jasper, Texas, United States Stratton, William A. Serious injuries -
6 Apr 1989 Beechcraft V35B
N17513
Lampasas, Texas, United States Phil P. O'neal Serious injuries -
20 May 1989 Piper PA-24-250
N5874P
Decatur, Texas, United States Frazier, David R. No injuries -
24 May 1989 Beechcraft A36TC
N6760C
Amarillo, Texas, United States
no coordinates
L.l.pownell No injuries -
30 May 1989 Piper PA-32R
N3279Q
Stratford, Texas, United States Sherman Implement Co. No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States