Lockheed WP-3D incident near AO, November 9, 2007
On November 9, 2007 at about 10:12 pm local time, a Lockheed WP-3D, registered N42RF, was involved in an incident near AO. It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Extensive salt buildup in the inlets of all four engines, which resulted in compressor stalls and tailpipe fires in three of the four engines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 2007 · about 10:12 pm local time
- Place
- , AO · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed WP-3D
- Registration
- N42RF · registry record · serial 5622
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While maneuvering at 3,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, three of the airplane's four engines experienced compressor stalls and associated tailpipe fires. The flight crew was able to extinguish the three tailpipe fires and eventually restart the three engines. The airplane subsequently proceeded to its departure airport and landed uneventfully. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed extreme salt buildup in all four engines. After the salt was rinsed away with water, the engine efficiencies improved greatly and no other anomalies were noted.
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, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,509 hours in all; 2,909 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 10, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,950 hours in all; 660 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 24, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight Engineer
- Certificate: flight engineer
- Flight time: 6,978 hours in all; 6,978 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 18, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Allison T56-14 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 4: (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CYYT St John'S Nfld at 6:53 pm
- Destination: CYYT St. John'S Nfld
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 250° at 90 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.45 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from YYT, 500 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 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.