Gulfstream G-IV incident near Durango, Colorado, March 13, 1999
On March 13, 1999 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Gulfstream G-IV, registered N411WW, suffered minor damage in an incident near Durango, Colorado. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 number four fuel line. Factors were the chaffing of the alternator's electrical wires on the number four fuel line, and the subsequent fire in the number one engine nacelle.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 1999 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Durango, Colorado · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gulfstream G-IV · all G-IVs on the register
- Registration
- N411WW · registry record · serial 1121
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was cruising at 41,000 feet msl when the crew noticed low fuel flow and low EGT readings on the left engine. They further noted that the oil temperature and fuel temperature gauges began to rise on the same engine. They requested clearance to descend, and as the captain reduced the throttle, the fire light on the left engine illuminated. He pulled the left fire T-handle and the fire light extinguished. The crew secured the engine, requested emergency equipment be standing by in Durango, and landed without further incidence. Postaccident examination revealed that the lower forward area of the left engine nacelle was damaged by fire. Further examination revealed that an electrical wire coming from an alternator in the engine had been chaffing against the number four fuel line.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,600 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 11,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,196 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 73,200 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce TAY 611-8 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBA Santa Barbara CA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: MDW Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.