What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1989-02-21 involved a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32, registration N1289L, at Houston, TX.

Engine Failure and Fire Prompt Emergency Evacuation After Takeoff (N1289L)

On February 21, 1989, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32 (registration N1289L) was involved in an aviation accident near Houston, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of a vane in the stage 2 turbine section of the left engine, which resulted in an in-flight engine failure and subsequent fire caused by burning engine oil. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Shortly after takeoff, a left engine failure led to a return to the airport. A tower-reported fire prompted an emergency evacuation after the crew discharged the fire bottle.

What happened

The aircraft departed from its home base but experienced a sudden mechanical issue shortly after leaving the ground. The pilot reported that the left engine failed, necessitating an immediate decision to return to the departure airport for an emergency landing. The crew successfully landed the airplane back on the runway they had just departed.

After completing the landing roll, the aircraft exited the active runway via a taxiway. As the plane was taxiing, air traffic control contacted the flight deck to inform the crew that smoke or flames were visible coming from the left engine. In response to this critical development, the crew activated the onboard fire suppression system by discharging the fire bottle.

Given the severity of the situation and the risk of fire spreading to the fuselage, the crew ordered an immediate emergency evacuation of all passengers and crew members. Everyone exited the aircraft safely via the emergency exits.

The investigation

NTSB investigators examined the failed engine following the incident. A teardown of the left engine revealed that a vane had failed within the stage 2 turbine section. This mechanical failure was identified as the initial event that led to the loss of power in that engine.

Further analysis determined that the fire observed by tower personnel was caused by burning engine oil. The failure of the turbine vane likely allowed hot gases or debris to breach internal seals, causing oil to leak onto hot components and ignite. There was no evidence of pre-existing mechanical issues with the engine prior to this event.

Findings

The investigation highlighted several critical factors in this incident:

The initial failure of a vane in the stage 2 turbine section caused the left engine to fail.
Burning engine oil was the source of the fire detected by air traffic control.
The crew's decision to return to the departure airport was appropriate given the timing of the failure.
The use of the fire bottle helped suppress the visible flames during taxiing.
The emergency evacuation was necessary due to the ongoing fire risk.

The sequence of events demonstrates how a single mechanical component failure can cascade into a serious safety incident requiring immediate crew action and passenger evacuation.

Probable cause

The failure of a vane in the stage 2 turbine section of the left engine, which resulted in an in-flight engine failure and subsequent fire caused by burning engine oil.

1989-02-21: Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32 (N1289L) — Houston, TX