Incident Overview
During taxi on taxiway 'N', a fuel odor was detected inside the cabin. Simultaneously, the crew of a following commuter flight, a DC-10, reported that the aircraft's right engine was on fire. The captain observed smoke from the cockpit window, stopped the airplane, shut down the engines, and ordered an evacuation.
Fire Response and Findings
Crash fire rescue equipment extinguished the fire. Post-incident examination of the right engine (No. 3) revealed that the fuel/oil heat exchanger (part number 158210-11) had failed due to fretting wear between the baffle plate and the retaining slots in the casing, resulting in a fuel leak. Neither the engine nor the airframe sustained damage.
Evacuation Details
According to a passenger's account, the cabin experienced general panic, with passengers screaming and pushing to exit. Some passengers did not clear the bottom of the escape chute because no one was stationed there to assist them in standing and moving away promptly. After evacuating, passengers remained on the tarmac without direction; some stood near the chute bottom, while others dispersed in various directions, as no personnel guided them away from the aircraft.