Incident · 1988-03-30

NTSB case DCA88IA044 · MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-10-40 · Part 121

What the record says

Event date: 1988-03-30
Event type: Incident
Highest injury level: No injuries
Aircraft: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-10-40 (N154US)
Operating rule: Part 121
Operator: operator not named in the NTSB record

Probable cause

THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE BATTERY GROUND CONNECTION THAT RESULTED IN PREMATURE LOOSENING OF THE CONNECTION AND ELECTRICAL ARC IGNITION OF POOLED FUEL IN THE CAC BILGE. THE FUEL WAS NOT DRAINED OVERBOARD DUE TO INOPERATIVE CAC BILGE AREA DRAIN VALVES. CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCIDENT WAS NORTHWEST'S NON-COMPLIANCE WITH A SERVICE BULLETIN TO MODIFY THE GROUND CABLE ATTACHMENT BRACKET TO PREVENT LOOSENING OF THE CONNECTION.

Source: NTSB case DCA88IA044

Flight crew

Flight-crew details for this event aren't in the NTSB database extract we hold (its coverage starts with 2008 events) — a gap in our data, not an absence of crew.

Facts as the NTSB records them — GroundCheck adds no judgement. Preliminary records may be revised as the investigation proceeds.

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