Incident Summary
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot observed what he believed to be an incipient fire in the left engine. Acting according to airline regulations, he feathered the affected engine and returned to the traffic pattern for a landing circuit, while conducting routine radio communications.
Sequence of Events
On final approach, the pilot deemed a safe landing possible and operated the landing gear lever. However, the undercarriage did not respond. Unknown to the pilot, the fire was actually located in the undercarriage housing, not in the engine. The intensity of the fire had likely melted components, preventing the gear from extending.
Despite the fire's intensity, little smoke was produced, leading the pilot to believe the critical situation had passed. Following regulations to avoid a belly landing, he applied full throttle. As the aircraft reached the intersection of runways 05 and 23, flames engulfed the left wing, which subsequently separated from the fuselage. The aircraft struck the ground and was destroyed. All 5 crew members and 35 passengers were killed.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that the primary cause of the accident was a fire in the undercarriage housing, which led to the structural failure and detachment of the left wing in flight. A contributing cause was the pilot's error in judgment. He failed to correctly assess the fire's location and intensity, believing it to be in the left engine and that the prescribed procedure from the airline's regulations had extinguished or rendered it inconsequential.