Boeing 747-256 accident near Jamaica, New York, August 11, 2002
On August 11, 2002 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Boeing 747-256, registered ECDNP, suffered minor damage in an accident near Jamaica, New York (John F Kennedy Intl airport). It was flown under foreign airline rules (Part 129). 2 people were seriously injured and 35 people had minor injuries; 349 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An accessory gearbox fire of the number 2 engine, due to hot air bypassing a damaged compressor air seal stack, which resulted in an emergency evacuation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2002 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Jamaica, New York · John F Kennedy Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 35 people had minor injuries; 349 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 747-256 · all 747-256s on the register
- Registration
- ECDNP · no longer on the register · serial 22764
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained a number 2 engine fire during the initial climb after takeoff and the flight crew performed an emergency landing, with a subsequent evacuation. During the evacuation, the slide/rafts at doors 4R and 5R did not operate as intended and all 369 passengers and 17 crewmembers evacuated through doors 1R, 2R, and 3R. Examination of the 4R slide/rafts revealed a fractured inflation hose in the area of the regulator end swivel wire groove. Examination of the 5R slide/raft did not disclose any abnormalities, which would have precluded normal operation. The number 2 engine sustained an under cowl fire in the area of the accessory gearbox. Teardown of the engine revealed in part, that the High-Pressure Compressor (HPC) forward air seal stack had become disengaged from the hub. The key washer and retaining nut were found disengaged from the threads on the HPC rear shaft. There was evidence of light, grooved scoring on the HPC shaft in the area were the retaining nut was found loose on the shaft. The key washer anti-rotation slots in the HPC hub, exhibited signs of contact marks. Dimensional measurements of the HPC rear hub were within specification; however, the HPC hub snap diameter for the front air seal revealed it was worn out-of-limits.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,872 hours in all; 4,034 in this make and model; 207 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 15,724 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 10, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,739 hours in all; 1,761 in this make and model; 158 in the last 90 days; 78 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 23, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
Flight Engineer
- Certificate: flight engineer
- Flight time: 12,935 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,291 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 81,954 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 29, 2002; 593 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 818,280 lb
- Seats: 428
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7Q3 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7Q3 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7Q3 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 4: Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7Q3 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: JFK Jamaica NY at 10:58 pm
- Destination: LEMD Madrid
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13R, 14,572 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from JFK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 16 | ||
| Passengers | 2 | 34 | 333 |
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.