Boeing 757 232 incident near Las Vegas, Nevada, September 6, 2017
On September 6, 2017 at about 7:19 am local time, a 1995 Boeing 757 232, registered N686DA, was involved in an incident during initial climb near Las Vegas, Nevada (Mc Carran Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 184 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A No. 1 (left) engine undercowl fire caused by a fuel nozzle installation error during engine overhaul at Delta TechOps. A fuel nozzle b-nut was cross threaded, which allowed fuel to leak on hot engine case surfaces and subsequently ignite.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2017 · about 7:19 am local time · cases in 2017
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · Mc Carran Intl · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 184 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757 232 232, built 1995 · all 757 232s on the register
- Registration
- N686DA · registry record · serial 27589
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The No. 1 engine fire was caused by an improperly installed #7 fuel nozzle located at the 3 o'clock position of the engine. The nozzle installation error resulted in a fuel leak that subsequently ignited on hot engine case surfaces. All the fuel nozzles had been replaced as part of engine overhaul at the Delta Tech Ops facility 53.7 flight hours/18 cycles prior to the incident flight. The cross threaded condition was evident during visual examination, and an x-ray of the fuel nozzle assembly confirmed the fuel nozzle b-nut was not properly seated, with one or fewer threads engaged. The nozzle assembly featured two o-rings and a conical seal washer (Voi-Shan) that acted in conjunction with the torque applied to the fuel nozzle b-nut to provide a seal. The o-rings and seal washer temporarily compensated for the cross threaded condition, until one of the o-rings began to break apart. The cross threaded b-nut should have been visually detected by the mechanic and inspector. Although, if not visually detected, the cross threaded b-nut may have given a proper torque indication during the required torque check and passed the pneumatic leak check step of the installation procedures. Several fuel system components including the fuel flow transmitter and stator vane actuator are located near the #7 fuel nozzle. The fire thermally damaged the case housings of both of these components resulting in secondary fuel leaks. The damage to the nacelle components including the fan cowl, thrust reverser, and core cowls was due to fire exposure. The area of thermal insulation on the right thrust reverser half that was minimally discolored with a wet and shiny appearance was located radially outboard of the #7 fuel nozzle. The fuel spray from the nozzle provided localized cooling where the fuel contacted the insulation and was too rich to ignite, preserving the fire insulation. The fan blade shroud shingling and displacement noted on three fan blades was most likely a result of firefighting efforts. After the blades were dislodged from the rub strip, the fan spun smoothly.
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
What happened, in order
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during takeoff
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel injector nozzle › Incorrect service/maintenance other cases naming the engine
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 248,020 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PW2037 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PW2037 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Air Lines
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV at 7:19 am
- Destination: JFK New York NY
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:19 am from KLAS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 178 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 24, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Powerplant Factual Report | PDF, 18 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pratt & Whitney Metallurgical Investigation of Delta Air Lines PW2037 Engine No. 716595 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N686DA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Boeing 757 440 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Boeing 6,676 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PW2037 115 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PW2037 115 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Harry Reid International · nearest airport
- John F Kennedy International · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Nevada 1,292 since 1982 · 221 in the last ten years
- Nevada 4,584 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ENG17IA036.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.