Fokker F28 MK 4000 accident near Charleston, West Virginia, April 14, 1988
On April 14, 1988 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Fokker F28 MK 4000, registered N110UR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charleston, West Virginia (Yeager airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 8 people had minor injuries; 54 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENGINE AND AIRFRAME FAILURE WERE CAUSED BY THE THE SEPARATION OF THE FIRST STAGE LOW PRESSURE TURBINE DISK. THE DISC INTERSTAGE SEAL WAS INSTALLED INADEQUATELY, RESULTING IN RUBBING BETWEEN THE SEAL AND DISK, CAUSING FAILURE OF THE DISK. INADEQUATE PROCEDURE BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL ARE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 1988 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, West Virginia · Yeager · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 8 people had minor injuries; 54 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fokker F28 MK 4000 F28 MK 400
- Registration
- N110UR · no longer on the register · serial 11182
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS AT FLIGHT LEVEL 310, WHEN THE NO. 2 ENGINE FIRST STAGE TURBINE DISC SEPARATED, CAUSING AN UNCONTAINED ENGINE FAILURE. TURBINE DEBRIS PENETRATED THE FUSELAGE STRUCTURE & CAUSED DEPRESSURIZATION. THE PLT MADE AN EMERGENCY DESCENT & LANDED AT CHARLESTON, WV, WHICH WAS ABOUT 50 MILES AWAY. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED SEVERE RUBBING & MELTING OF THE LOW PRESSURE TURBINE INTERSTAGE SEAL & SEPARATION OF THE DRIVE FLANGES CONNECTING THE LP1 & LP2 TURBINE DISCS. ROLLS-ROYCE REPAIR SCHEME XRS 3505 DESCRIBES A PROCEDURE FOR REPAIR OF THE INTERSTAGE SEALS. HOWEVER, IN REPLACING THE SEALS, THE REPAIR FACILITY USED MACHINING REFERENCE SURFACES WHICH DIFFERED FROM THOSE IN THE REPAIR SCHEME. ROLLS-ROYCESUBSEQUENTLY AMENDED XRS 3505 TO MAKE IT MORE TOLERABLE TO RUBBING OR MISASSEMBLY OF THE LOW PRESSURE TURBINE SEAL. ALL OF THE FIRST CLASS SECTION & TWO CABIN SECTION PASSENGER OXYGEN MASKS FAILED TO DEPLOY.
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: 11,009 hours in all; 325 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,441 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme; 129 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 73,000 lb
- Seats: 72
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 555-15P (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLT Charlotte NC at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 6,302 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from CRW, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | 3 | ||
| Passengers | 5 | 51 |
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.