On March 11, 1982, a Douglas DC-9-82 (registration N778JA) operated by Jet America Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Long Beach, CA. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During engine start, ground personnel reported fuel leaking from No. 2 engine. A fire ensued; captain discharged fire bottles and continued motoring. Passengers evacuated safely. No cockpit warnings. Investigation found no cause for fire.
Incident Description
During engine start, ground personnel communicated over the intercom to the pilots that fuel was dripping from the No. 2 engine as it spooled up. They requested that the crew continue motoring the engine with the fuel lever in the off position.
Response
Shortly thereafter, ground personnel reported a fire. In response, the captain discharged both fire bottles and continued motoring the engine. Airport fire crews arrived on scene and extinguished the fire. All passengers were evacuated from the aircraft without incident. According to both pilots, no fire warnings were received in the cockpit during the event.
Investigation
The engine was disassembled and examined following the incident. Investigators were unable to determine the reason for the fire.