Boeing B-727-100 incident near Memphis, Tennessee, July 13, 2001
On July 13, 2001 at about 9:28 am local time, a Boeing B-727-100, registered N189FE, suffered minor damage in an incident near Memphis, Tennessee (Memphis International Arpt airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the #3 engine starter turbine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2001 · about 9:28 am local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · Memphis International Arpt · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing B-727-100
- Registration
- N189FE · registry record · serial 19082
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff using standard power at 100 feet above ground level (AGL) the #3 engine fire warning light with normal engine indications illuminated. While the captain and second officer accomplished the engine fire/severe damage checklist the #3 oil low pressure light came on and the #3 generator tripped off. The fire warning light did not go out until the second fire bottle was used. They declared an emergency with the tower, and made a normal landing and taxied clear of the runway. Emergency crews inspected the airplane and observed no indication of fire. They subsequently did a normal taxi back to the gate and there was a normal shutdown. Examination of the engine found the starter turbine was missing from the starter assembly, however, the turbine was recovered from the engine cowling. All of the tips on the full length airfoils had rub marks with material displaced away from the direction of rotation. The starter shaft was separated 2 1/4-inchs from the impeller. The bearing was broken and rubbed flush to the shaft. The ignition exciter box brackets were burned and the box was hanging by the cable. The ignition exciter box was burned open.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,468 hours in all; 3,408 in this make and model; 97 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 14, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,777 hours in all; 1,777 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 22, 2000
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight Engineer
- Certificate: flight engineer
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 65,531 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 5, 2001; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 161,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada JT8D-7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada JT8D-7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: P&W Canada JT8D-7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEM Memphis TN at 9:28 am
- Destination: IND Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36R, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,600 ft; clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from MKL, 120 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.