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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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December 7, 1991 · Airbus Industrie A-310-324 · N819PA

Covington, KY

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Incident
Date
December 7, 1991
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (122 uninjured)
Location
Covington, KY
Aircraft
Airbus Industrie A-310-324
Tail Number
N819PA
Operator
Delta Airlines
Injuries
None
NTSB Number
NYC92IA042

WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 6000 FEET THERE WAS AN UNCOMMANDED REDUCTION OF POWER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE, ACCOMPANIED BY A WARNING OF THE THRUST REVERSER BECOMING UNLOCKED. THE ENGINE WAS SHUTDOWN AND THE AIRPLANE RETURNED FOR LANDING. A READOUT OF THE DFDR DISCLOSED THE THRUST REVERSER WAS NEVER UNLOCKED. THE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT THE RESTRICTOR PLACED IN THE BLEED AIR LINE USED TO HEAT THE REVERSER COMPONENTS WAS TOO LARGE AND THESE COMPONENTS HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. ELECTRICAL WINDINGS HAD FAILED AND A FALSE SIGNAL OF AN INFLIGHT THRUST REVERSER UNLOCK CAUSED THE POWER TO BE REDUCED ON THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS ORIGINALLY MANUFACTURED BY PRATT & WHITNEY AS A PW4460 AND THEN REBUILT AS A PW4152, AT WHICH TIME THE REVERSER COMPONENTS MANUFACTURED BY ROHR WERE ADDED. THE JOB WAS DESCRIBED AS A 'RUSH JOB,' AND ROHR SENT TWO MECHANICS TO ASSIST PRATT & WHITNEY IN THE REBUILD.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE INSTALLATION OF AN IMPROPER RESTRICTOR IN THE BLEED AIR LINE BY THE MANUFACTURER, WHICH CAUSED THE RVDT TO FAIL DUE TO HEAT, AND BROUGHT ABOUT THE UNCOMMANDED POWER LOSS.

Full Narrative

WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 6000 FEET THERE WAS AN UNCOMMANDED REDUCTION OF POWER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE, ACCOMPANIED BY A WARNING OF THE THRUST REVERSER BECOMING UNLOCKED. THE ENGINE WAS SHUTDOWN AND THE AIRPLANE RETURNED FOR LANDING. A READOUT OF THE DFDR DISCLOSED THE THRUST REVERSER WAS NEVER UNLOCKED. THE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT THE RESTRICTOR PLACED IN THE BLEED AIR LINE USED TO HEAT THE REVERSER COMPONENTS WAS TOO LARGE AND THESE COMPONENTS HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. ELECTRICAL WINDINGS HAD FAILED AND A FALSE SIGNAL OF AN INFLIGHT THRUST REVERSER UNLOCK CAUSED THE POWER TO BE REDUCED ON THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS ORIGINALLY MANUFACTURED BY PRATT & WHITNEY AS A PW4460 AND THEN REBUILT AS A PW4152, AT WHICH TIME THE REVERSER COMPONENTS MANUFACTURED BY ROHR WERE ADDED. THE JOB WAS DESCRIBED AS A 'RUSH JOB,' AND ROHR SENT TWO MECHANICS TO ASSIST PRATT & WHITNEY IN THE REBUILD.

Flight

Event TypeIncident
Event Time15:51 EST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAirbus Industrie A-310-324
Tail NumberN819PA
Aircraft CategoryAir
OperatorDelta Airlines
Operating RulePart 121
Engines2
Engine TypeTurbofan
Engine DetailsP&W · PW4152 · Turbofan · 52000

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (122 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured122
Total122
Crew 1First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data