NTSB Probes 767 Freighter Fire

Air Safety Week, July 14, 2008

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has found no evidence that the June 28 ABX Air freighter fire at San Francisco International was intentionally set.

The fire burned a hole through the top of the fuselage of the fully loaded Airborne Express Boeing 767 cargo airplane (N799AX) (Flight 1611) parked at SFO. The primary location of the fire was outside the cargo hold in an area just aft of the cockpit. The fire was extinguished, but not before causing substantial damage to the aircraft.

The flight crew of two, who were preparing to start the engines when the fire broke out, escaped from the aircraft without injury via a cockpit window.

A team from the Safety Board and representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm, the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration are probing the fire.

It was reported that within a week prior to the accident, the cargo carrier had received a threat. Preliminary examinations have not revealed any indication that an explosive or incendiary device started the fire.

The 21-year-old aircraft was originally configured for passenger operations and modified in 2004 to a cargo configuration by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

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