Crash of a Boeing 737-236 in Manchester: 55 killed

Date & Time: Aug 22, 1985 at 0713 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-BGJL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Manchester - Kerkyra
MSN:
22033
YOM:
1981
Flight number:
KT328M
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
131
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
55
Captain / Total flying hours:
8441
Captain / Total hours on type:
1276.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
12277
Copilot / Total hours on type:
345
Aircraft flight hours:
12977
Aircraft flight cycles:
5907
Circumstances:
British Airtours Flight 328 (also known as flight 28M) was a charter flight from Manchester to Corfu. At 06:08 in the morning the crew were cleared to taxi to runway 24 for departure. At 06:12 the aircraft had lined up on the runway and was cleared for takeoff. The takeoff was to be performed by the co-pilot. During the takeoff run the captain made the routine 'eighty knots' call and 12 seconds later a 'thump' or 'thud' was heard. The captain immediately ordered 'stop', closed the throttles an selected reverse thrust. The maximum speed achieved was 126 knots IAS. At first the captain thought they had suffered a tyre burst or a bird strike. The co-pilot had applied maximum wheel braking, however, because of the possible tyre burst, the captain said 'Don't hammer the brakes, don't hammer the brakes'. At 45 seconds after the start of the takeoff run, 9 seconds after the 'thud', as the aircraft decelerated trough 85 knots the captain radioed ATC that they were abandoning takeoff. The fire bell rang simultaneously and he added as he cancelled reverse thrust, 'it looks as though we've got a fire on number 1'. ATC confirmed this: 'right there's a lot of fire, they're on their way now.'. At 25 seconds past the 'thud' (and 20 seconds before the aircraft stopped) the crew decided to evacuate via the starboard side. The 737 was decelerating through 36 knots then and the captain warned the cabin crew about the evacuation six seconds later. After the aircraft stopped a no. 1 engine fire drill was carried out, the no. 2 engine was shut down and the passenger evacuation drill carried out. Before completion of this drill the captain saw fuel and fire spreading forward on the left side of the aircraft. Both flight crew members escaped through the sliding window in the right hand side. Immediately after the 'thud' an intense fire developed on the left-hand side of the plane, causing some cracking and melting of windows with some associated smoke in the aft cabin. This caused some passengers to stand up in alarm and move into the aisle. Immediately after coming to a halt the purser tried to open the right front door (R1) but the escape slide container jammed on the doorframe, preventing further movement of the door. He then crossed to the L1 door and opened it (25 seconds had passed since the aircraft had stopped). The purser then returned to the R1 door and managed to clear the obstruction and was able to open the door 85 seconds after the aircraft had stopped. Meanwhile passengers had managed to open the right hand overwing exit. The R2 (right rear) door had also been opened but no one escaped through this exit. In total 17 surviving passengers escaped through the L1 door, 34 through R1 and 27 through the overwing exit.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was an uncontained failure of the left engine, initiated by a failure of the No 9 combustor can which had been the subject of a repair. A section of the combustor can, which was ejected forcibly from the engine, struck and fractured an underwing fuel tank access panel. The fire which resulted developed catastrophically, primarily because of adverse orientation of the parked aircraft relative to the wind, even though the wind was light. Major contributory factors were the vulnerability of the wing tank access panels to impact, a lack of any effective provision for fighting major fires inside the aircraft cabin, the vulnerability of the aircraft hull to external fire and the extremely toxic nature of the emissions from the burning interior materials. The major cause of the fatalities was rapid incapacitation due to the inhalation of the dense toxic/irritant smoke atmosphere within the cabin, aggravated by evacuation delays caused by a forward right door malfunction and restricted access to the exits.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 737-2P5 in Phuket: 11 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1985 at 2329 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HS-TBB
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bangkok - Phuket
MSN:
21810
YOM:
1979
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Bangkok, the crew started the descent to Phuket Airport by night and good weather conditions. Four minutes after being cleared to descend to 3,000 feet, the pilot reported that he was unable to receive the DME signal. ATC asked the crew if he wanted to conduct a VOR approach to runway 09 but the captain preferred to attempt a visual approach to runway 27. On final, the aircraft struck a hill (800 feet high) and crashed about 18 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all 11 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Decision of the crew to continue the approach below MDA until the aircraft struck the ground.

Ground explosion of a Boeing 737-2H7C in Douala: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1984
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TJ-CBD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Douala – Yaoundé – Garoua
MSN:
21295
YOM:
1977
Flight number:
UY786
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
109
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While taxiing at Douala Airport, an explosion occurred on the left hand side. The crew stopped the aircraft on the taxiway and started an emergency evacuation. 94 occupants were wounded while 20 others were uninjured. Unfortunately, two passengers died by asphyxia.
Probable cause:
It was reported by the Cameroon Authorities that a bomb placed in the left main wheel well exploded during taxi, causing a rupture of the main left fuel tank. A fire erupted, partially destroying the aircraft. It appears that the bomb was placed by members of the 'Liberation Front of Cameroon'.

Crash of a Boeing 737-275 in Calgary

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1984 at 0742 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GQPW
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Calgary - Edmonton
MSN:
22265/755
YOM:
1981
Flight number:
PW501
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
114
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
7447
Circumstances:
Pacific Western Airlines scheduled early morning flight 501 to Edmonton was pushed-back from the gate at 07:35. After engine start the aircraft taxied to runway 34 for departure. Takeoff was begun at 07:42 from the intersection of runway 34 and taxiway C-1. About 20 seconds into the takeoff roll, at an airspeed of approximately 70 knots, the flightcrew heard a loud bang which was accompanied by a slight veer to the left. The captain immediately rejected the takeoff using brakes and reverse thrust. Both the crew members suspected a tire on the left main landing gear had blown. The captain decided to taxi clear of the runway at taxiway C-4. Approaching C-4, the crew a.o. noted that left engine low pressure unit rpm was indicating 0 per cent. Twenty-three seconds after the initiation of the rejected takeoff, the first officer called clear of the runway on tower frequency: "501 clear here on Charlie 4". The purser then entered the flight deck and reported a fire on the left wing. The control tower then confirmed that there was a fire: "Considerable amount off the back - on the left side engine there - and - eh - it's starting to diminish there. Eh - there's a fire going on the left side." One minute and two seconds had passed since the initiation of the rejected takeoff. Immediately after this the purser further stated that "the whole left-hand side, the whole back side of it is burning". The captain discharged a fire bottle into the engine and the first officer requested emergency equipment. At an elapsed time of 1 minute 36 seconds, the cockpit fire warning bell activated. Simultaneously, the purser re-entered the cockpit and reported that it was getting bad at the back. The captain stopped the aircraft the crew then carried out the procedures for an emergency evacuation, which was initiated at an elapsed time of 1 minute 55 seconds. All 119 occupants were evacuated, among them 29 were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- An uncontained rupture of the left engine thirteenth stage compressor disc occurred approximately 1,300 feet into the take-off roll,
- Failure of the disc was the result of fatigue cracking at three main locations in the rear snap and adjacent to 6 of the 12 tie-bolt holes,
- Fatigue cracking initiated as a result of an unidentified combination of factors which developed progressively over an undefined period of time, following the last major overhaul in May 1981,
- Some stator repair procedures carried out at the last major overhaul were not in accordance with the provisions of the Pratt & Whitney JT8D engine overhaul manual; as a result, deficiencies in the thirteenth stage stator assembly occurred,
- The ruptured piece of the compressor disc exited the engine and penetrated the left lower inboard wing skin, puncturing a fuel cell,
- Fuel leaking from the punctured fuel cell was ignited instantaneously,
- The fuel-fed fire increased in size and engulfed the left wing and aft section of the aircraft.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2M2 in Huambo

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1984
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D2-TBV
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Huambo - Luanda
MSN:
22626
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
136
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Huambo-Albano Machado Airport, while climbing, an explosion occurred in the rear of the cabin. The pilot declared an emergency and was cleared to return. Due to the partial failure of the hydraulic system, the crew was unable to lower the flaps and the aircraft landed at high speed. After touchdown, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and lost its undercarriage and both engines before coming to rest 180 meters further. All 142 occupants were evacuated and 15 of them were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that a bomb exploded in the rear of the cabin during initial climb. It was placed on board by UNITA rebels.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2M2 in Lubango: 130 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1983 at 1520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D2-TBN
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lubango - Luanda
MSN:
22775
YOM:
1982
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
123
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
130
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Lubango Airport, while in initial climb at an altitude of 200 feet, the aircraft was hit by a surface-to-air missile. The aircraft turned to the left then lost height and crashed in a huge explosion about 800 meters past the runway end. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and none of the 130 occupants survived the crash.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a UNITA SAM-7 surface-to-air missile.