Maintenance Error Behind Air Atlantic Icelandic Accident

Air Safety Week, Sept 29, 2008

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) of Iceland recently determined that the loss of a Boeing 747 in Bangladesh earlier this year was caused by a maintenance error. There were only minor injuries among the 307 passengers and 19 crew members during the evacuation, but the jumbo jet was damaged beyond repair.

On March 25, 2008, an Air Atlanta Icelandic Boeing 747-300 (TF-ARS) wet leased to Saudi Arabian Airlines, suffered a fire on the No. 3 engine pylon during a landing rollout at Bangladesh Dhaka International's Runway 14.

On the landing rollout, the tower advised the flight crew of smoke and flames coming from the aircraft. The flight crew taxied the aircraft clear of the runway and then received an engine fire warning in the No. 3 engine. The flight crew performed the engine fire procedures and discharged both fire bottles, but the fire did not extinguish. After the second bottle was discharged, the flight crew was advised that the smoke and flames were increasing and ordered an evacuation.

The source of the fuel leak was determined to be from the coupling connection of the No. 3 fuel tank to the main fuel line that connects the tank to the pylon. When the fuel line was removed it was discovered that one of the two retaining rings was missing. Maintenance was performed on the No. 3 tank fuel line connection to replace the O-ring 6 months prior to the event.

The Civil Aviation Authorities of Bangladesh (CAAB) had delegated the investigation to the AAIB of Iceland. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board assisted in the accident probe.

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