FDX MD-10 fire in MEM

[Huck]

Apparently an engine fire after landing - crew got out with minor injuries, it is reported.

I saw the smoke - it looked bad. I'll update ASAP.

[RRAAMJET]

Apparently a gear problem - jet's a total loss, by the pictures.
Oh dear. :ouch:

[MidnightSpecial]

Let me guess, the injuries were from the escape rope. . . the same type that cut up the fingers of the crew up in Newburgh/Stewart.

I hope everything turns out okay.

Where were they flying in from? I am certain that they did a good job of getting the plane on the ground safely.

Wishing the crew the best,

MS

[Airbubba]

Fed Ex Plane Crashes In Memphis
12/18/2003 1:17:38 PM

(Memphis, Tennessee-AP) -- Nobody's been seriously hurt, after a FedEx cargo jet caught fire today while landing at the airport in Memphis, Tennessee.

The plane had just flown from Oakland, California -- reportedly carrying four FedEx employees. They made it safely off the plane, and the fire was put out.

It's not clear what caused the fire, or whether the cargo was damaged. But television images from the scene show one entire side of the plane is charred or blackened from the smoke and fire.

An FAA spokeswoman says the plane veered off the runway after landing.

[akerosid]

According to a source on Airliners.net, the aircraft was N364FE.

This is almost certainly the oldest '10 in commercial service, being No4 off the Long Beach Line. It was also UAL's first, having been delivered to the airline in Jan '71 as N1801U. It was sold to Fed Ex in 1998.

[Huck]

MD-10 inbound from Oakland. Crew of 2 + 5 jumpseaters.

Some dramatic footage on local TV of the crew going down the front ropes. One guy either jumped or slipped and went down in a free-fall. Only minor injuries.

I'm in the MEM hub and the information is sketchy - Landing on 36R, departed pavement to the east, collapsed a gear and nacelle, massive fire in wing root that consumed ~60% of right fuselage skin.

[Airbubba]

Thankfully, the crew and riders walked away from yet another FedEx aircraft mishap. This is FedEx's fourth widebody hull loss since 1966 (two MD-11's, a DC-10 and this MD-10). The feds already had FedEx on double secret probation after several other incidents and a 727 crash in TLH last year.

FedEx has never had a fatality on their mainline, however several Cessna Caravan pilots have been lost over the past few years.

Here's a page with links to some video of the evacuation:

http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=1570084&nav=3HvDJl1z

The MD-10 has a slide but it may not have been usable due to the right bank angle of the wreckage (or high winds as one of the TV news crew speculated).

[Memetic]

Glad to see the crew are all out.

Off of the important topic, take a look at the video, about 3.5 minutes in it seems the amature video is shot off of a monitor. A lot of the apparent movement is from the camera filming the monitor not the camera filming events. You can see the monitor frame occasionally, sony badge I think.

A little strange. It hardly seems necessary to add drama to these scenes through extra movement and yet it seems surprising the news crew could not use the tape direct some how.

[Airbubba]

>>A little strange. It hardly seems necessary to add drama to these scenes through extra movement and yet it seems surprising the news crew could not use the tape direct some how.<<

It looks to me like a copy done in the field by the news crew, probably not ideal dubbing equipment for the different video formats.

[Shore Guy]

KMEM 181953Z 30022G26KT 10SM FEW050 11/M01 A3010 RMK AO2 PK WND
30032/1859 SLP191 T01111011=
KMEM 181853Z 31024G31KT 10SM SCT045 11/M01 A3009 RMK AO2 PK WND
30031/1849 SLP188 T01061011=
KMEM 181830Z 31023G28KT 10SM BKN045 10/M01 A3009 RMK AO2 PK
WND 32028/1829 (SPECI)
KMEM 181753Z 32016G22KT 10SM BKN043 10/00 A3010 RMK AO2 PK WND
31029/1723 SLP191 10111 20044 T01000000 50004=
KMEM 181653Z 29018G24KT 10SM FEW040 10/00 A3010 RMK AO2 PK WND
32028/1642 SLP193 T01000000=
KMEM 181553Z 29017G23KT 10SM FEW040 09/01 A3011 RMK AO2 PK WND
28026/1539 SLP195 T00890006

[forget]

NTSB LAUNCHES TEAM TO INVESTIGATE
FEDEX ACCIDENT IN MEMPHIS

************************************************************
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Transportation Safety Board
has launched a team of investigators to begin an inquiry
into the accident today involving a FedEx widebody cargo
jetliner in Memphis, Tennessee.

Preliminary information is that at approximately 12:30
p.m. Central Standard Time, the right main landing gear of
the FedEx MD-10-10 (N364FE) collapsed on landing on runway
36R at the Memphis airport. The aircraft, which was
arriving after a flight from Oakland, California, came to
rest and suffered extensive fire damage. All seven
crewmembers aboard the aircraft escaped without serious
injury. There were no reported hazardous materials on the
plane.

[Electric Sky]

What a relief it wasn't a passenger version of this aircraft! Pleased to hear all escaped ok.

ES ;)

[Ignition Override]

A news station reported that the high winds in Memphis made at least one escape chute unuseable. How does certification for a cargo or passenger aircraft assume that winds won't be a factor? How can the "authorities" certify an aircraft for a situation where only half of the available emer exits are useable-and this does not include a fire on the downwind side. We could turn a smoking brake or engine downwind, if we have a chance before we stop and consider an evacuation. In FAA-approved simulator training, we are not allowed to taxi around for a while before we practice the evacuation procedures for over a hundred passengers.

A different (lady) Fedex pilot, who is married to one of our pilots, had a brother whose aircraft collided at night with an "unknown" object not far north of Mobile Airport in Alabama not long ago. I don't remember if he was in a Caravan or solo in a recip plane, but the ATC radar tapes seem to have been confiscated after the tragedy, based on what I remember from $^#\/#'s remarks.

Anyway, the information surrounding the accident is confidential. Either a 'remotely piloted vehicle' or some other classified object seems to have been involved.:ugh:

[Airbubba]

>>A different (lady) Fedex pilot, who is married to one of our pilots, had a brother whose aircraft collided at night with an "unknown" object not far north of Mobile Airport in Alabama not long ago. I don't remember if he was in a Caravan or solo in a recip plane, but the ATC radar tapes seem to have been confiscated after the tragedy, based on what I remember from $^#\/#'s remarks.<<


Would this the be the accident?
_________________________________________

NTSB Identification: ATL03FA008
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Wednesday, October 23, 2002 in Spanish Fort, AL
Aircraft: Cessna 208B, registration: N76U
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On October 23, 2002, at 1944, central daylight time, a Cessna 208B, N76U, operated by Mid Atlantic Freight, Inc. collided with water in the Big Bateau Bay in Spanish Fort, Alabama, shortly after takeoff from the Mobile Downtown Airport, in Mobile, Alabama. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 135, and instrument flight rules. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

According to Air Traffic Controllers at the Mobile Regional Airport, the airplane had climbed to 3,000 feet and was given a traffic advisory. Shortly after that the airplane was lost on their radar, and all attempts to contact the pilot by radio were unsuccessful.

Examination of the wreckage on scene, found it scattered over an area of about 200 yards. Recovery of the airplane required the use of air boats and a barge. The recovered wreckage was transported to Griffin, Georgia for further examination.

____________________________________

A local newspaper article is here:

http://www.atlantaairsalvage.com/Cessna%20208,%20Spanish%20Fort,%20AL%20Oct.%202002.html

___________________________________

FedEx's tragic loss of crewmembers in Caravans is listed here along with the other mishaps:

http://aviation-safety.net/database/dblist.php?field=Operatorkey&var=737&cat=%&sorteer=datekey&page=1

[Airbubba]

Here's the day after article from the MEM Commerical Appeal newspaper:

Engine explodes as FedEx jet lands

Blazing arrival brings questions [sic]

By Sherri Drake

December 19, 2003

A blazing FedEx cargo plane rumbled down an airport runway Thursday, sending quivers through nearby buildings.

Two pilots and five passengers bolted to safety through the front windows of the fiery plane.

Hours later, the plane's charred carcass was still drawing onlookers and acrid smoke drifted through the air.

One of the plane's three engines apparently exploded sometime between when it landed and stopped, airport officials said Thursday.

On board the flight from Oakland, Calif., were two FedEx pilots and five other pilots, who were traveling as jump seat passengers. FedEx wouldn't identify those on board.

Witnesses from nearby businesses said they heard two loud booms and felt a quake in the walls as the plane landed.

"It sounded like a dadgum bomb went off," said Mike Williams, manager of Johnson Products on Rudder Road.

When Lisa Bell and Laurie Moultrie felt the sudden clap, they ran from their buildings toward the runway, they said.

"You could see fireballs," said Bell, who works at Memphis Sign Erectors.

Orange flames were all that was visible through the billowing clouds of smoke.

"You couldn't see nothing of the plane. It was just big, black smoke," said Ronnie Hopper, who looked on with co-workers from Jamison Steel Rule Die.

"We thought, 'Man, they're dead.' "

But very quickly, through the thick smoke, passengers appeared through the front windows and shimmied down cords on the plane's nose.

"It's kinda funny, but they were throwing their stuff out and then coming out. It was like luggage and a box and then the guys," Hopper said.

Tower officials weren't aware of any problems on board when the plane made a by-the-book landing, they said.

"There was no advance warning," said Larry Cox, president and CEO of the airport authority. "The crew did not contact the tower," he said. "Normally, if a crew has a cautionary landing, they'll call ahead so we can have the Fire Department stand by."

As soon as the plane landed, however, tower officials saw a small fire on the right side landing gear.

The plane veered down the runway and the landing gear came off, Cox said.

Aviation officials were trying to find the fire's cause Thursday. Faulty landing gear, problems in the cargo bay or in the plane's engine were among the possibilities.

The plane's right wing and engine ripped from the body of the plane and were hanging by a thread.

Nearly 100 Memphis firefighters arrived at the scene around 12:30 p.m. Thursday. They blanketed the soot-covered MD-10 with foam as it rested on its right side across the runway.

The MD-10, similar to a DC-10, has 16,000 cubic feet in available cargo space and as much capacity as four 40-foot railroad freight cars.

It took firefighters nearly an hour to extinguish the fire, officials said.

Three of the seven passengers were taken to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis for evaluation, said FedEx spokesman Pam Roberson.

The four others were taken to Methodist Healthcare-South.

At The Med, paramedics unloaded three pilots around 2 p.m.

A gray FedEx blanket was wrapped around one pilot while another pilot's face and body were covered with a yellow firefighter's jacket.

"No one was seriously injured and under their protest they were brought to the hospital as a precaution," Roberson said.

Many travelers in the terminals of the Memphis International Airport scurried about as usual, unaware of the disaster so close by.

"I didn't see anything, no rescue vehicles or anything. Seemed as normal as could be," said Jim Porter, who'd just arrived from Melbourne, Fla.

The landing caused no cancellations, diversions or disruption in air traffic, said the airport authority's Cox.

The troubled landing did close one of the airport's four runways. And officials closed a second runway so firefighters could reach the burning plane, he said.

The plane could stay on the runway for up to 24 hours, if investigators need that much time, Cox said. It was still there Thursday night.

The damage from the landing was the most substantial he's seen in his 30 years at the airport, Cox said.

Airport officials worked to reopen the center runway late Thursday.

The FBI is making a routine check to see if foul play was involved, Cox said.

If foul play is ruled out, the National Transportation Safety Board will be responsible for determining causes.

FedEx officials Thursday started notifying customers whose packages were on the plane. Most of the cargo was in containers, so officials are assuming the packages are in decent shape.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local_news/article/0,1426,MCA_437_2517032,00.html

[Flightmech]

Just seen the video of the evacuation. Why were "items" being despatched out of the windows in between crew members? Surely getting out of a burning airplane and surviving is far more important than saving your flightbag/leather jacket/personal effects. Maybe it was the catering? Sorry, bit of an underhand comment. Glad those seven on board got out ok and wish them a speedy recovery.

[lomapaseo]

Just seen the video of the evacuation. Why were "items" being despatched out of the windows in between crew members? Surely getting out of a burning airplane and surviving is far more important than saving your flightbag/leather jacket/personal effects. Maybe it was the catering? Sorry, bit of an underhand comment. Glad those seven on board got out ok and wish them a speedy recovery.

It looked to me to be a personal decision, so you will have to ask the egressors on what basis they made those choices.

I hestitate to second guess those individual decisions today.

[Shore Guy]

Crews are trained to, if possible, take HAZMAT documentation during evac for fire/rescue folks. This documentation is normally kept in the cockpit. In our operation, it is just a large envelope.

Can't explain the number of cases/boxes thrown out the window.

[Airbubba]

>>I hestitate to second guess those individual decisions today.

I agree, but the feds will dissect everything and come up with "findings".

The FedEx DC-10 crew with the cargo fire at Stewart was criticized by the NTSB for not completing lengthy smoke and fire checklists accurately and instead concentrating on getting the plane on the ground ASAP. The captain took a hit for announcing "We need to get the f**k out of here!" instead of calling for a formal recitation of the Phase One memory items on the Emergency Evacuation checklist after the aircraft came to a stop. (See: http://www.ntsb.gov/Publictn/1998/AAR9803.pdf )

Whatever their faults in the eyes of the feds, the KSWF DC-10 crew, like yesterday's KMEM MD-10 crew, earned the coveted title of "Survivors".

[jet_fumes_junkie]

Was @ MEM around 1830c yesterday. Sorry sight. actually looked pretty decent fm w. no doubt a write-off. Big ole “x” (6’/6’ at least) made of bulbs set up @ 36r tdz in case some dumbass disregards atis, no rl et al and decides to land there.:sad:

rwy surface looked fine but i'm sure more than one light got knocked out...
Had the md all lit up, waiting for the ntsb honcho from atl to show up.

Just to toss a wild theory: botched crab-landing (landing too heavy on the gear already well in years)?
Don’t know who the ‘by the book’ quote came from…probly just more journo bs.

Any dc-10 pilots out there? What would be the x-wind correction for the 31023G28/32028?
Is fedex hiring? Maybe a newbie still trying to learn the ropes?:confused:

How about a heavy heavy load (x-mas) being a factor? Doubt they were coming out of cali with full tanks, what with their prices and MEM being their hub.

Theories, theories…we’ll all hv2 wait for the ntsb slowpokes (meant good-naturedly, I know they work hard) to take their sweet time to release the report…wish they at least released the hard facts ( e.g. rt lg showing red first, green after recycle…would that warrant fire/rescue call?) as they get them.:{

Boy, was that video shaking. A senior citizen with extra time on his hands?:8

[Ignition Override]

Airbubba: thanks for the post on the NTSB news on the other accident. I'll ask "&" to check on it.

I was wondering about the old landing gear on that former DC-10. How many very gusty crosswind landings had the "old gal" been through, where the downwind wing drops 'way down' onto the concrete as the autospoilers extend?

A FEDEX lady DC-10 Flt. Eng I spoke with today questioned how many hard sideloads were experienced over many years. Someone stated that it was one of the very first of the 10s from Long Beach. Hate to see a good plane destroyed.

[411A]

Hmmm, from some of the comments here, it would appear that a few flight crew are rather unaware that landing gear have cycle/calendar limits and are actually (surprise, surprise)overhauled/exchanged from time to time.:ooh:

[Huck]

Crew was well-experienced and qualified. And landing weight would not have been a factor on a leg of that length in a "Dash 10".

A wind of that magnitude would have been sporty, and there were other special reports from near that time period of gusts to 42.

I landed about 10 minutes before the accident aircraft, and gusts were as bad as I've ever seen. Plus or minus 30 on final. We made a report to tower after our landing, it was so bad.

Funny thing was, it was a beautiful day. Just a ripping dry front.

Tonight I saw the hulk still laying out there beside 36R. Quite a sobering sight. As Ernie Gann said, in this business we play for keeps.

[Shore Guy]

411 and all,

Does anyone have the skinny on gear and/or component replacement for the DC-10/MD10? I was aware there was time/cycle limited component replacement, but not entire gear replacement.

The landing gears on freighters are stressed more than their passenger counterparts for the obvious reasons – higher average takeoff weights and higher average landing weights. But there is another stress imposed on many freighter gears that may not be so obvious. Look at a sort ramp for FedEx, UPS, Airborne, DHL, etc. The aircraft are packed together. To do this, max deflection turns are common. This places large torsional loads on the gear.

Just glad the crew and jumpseaters made it out ok.

And the latest from MEM media sources (30 minutes ago)

Focus on collapsed landing gear
Runway could be clear by Wednesday; witnesses sought
By Mark Watson
Contact
December 20, 2003
Thursday's accident involving a FedEx MD10 widebody cargo jetliner coincided with the collapse of the right main landing gear upon landing at the Memphis International Airport.
What caused the landing gear to collapse and what other factors played a role in the accident remain under investigation, said Joseph Sedor, National Transportation Safety Board investigator in charge
In a chilly, sunny, windswept afternoon press conference, Sedor said he hopes the runway can be cleared by Wednesday.
The NTSB team arrived Thursday evening in Memphis and walked through the scene of the accident, in which none of the seven people on the plane was seriously injured.
The cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder of the plane, built in 1971, have been forwarded to Washington for analysis, Sedor said.
FedEx took delivery of the plane in 1998 and put it into service in 2000.
Investigators have ruled out foul play, but they are interviewing witnesses and would particularly like to hear from people who witnessed the plane as it approached the runway in the air, as it landed, and as it rolled down the runway, Sedor said. Anyone who has witnessed this is asked to call the FBI at 747-4300.
Sedor held a first meeting of investigators, including people from Boeing, the Federal Aviation Authority, the Air Line Pilots Association and the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority.
The team was divided into groups inquiring into the following issues:
• Operations, interviewing pilots and passengers.
• Airworthiness, examining the structure and fire damage.
• Survival factors, looking over emergency equipment, like the inflatable exit ramp.
The inflatable slide apparently blew away, and passengers had to use a rope to exit the plane through the cockpit windows.
Investigators will keep the cargo in place for a day or two more, to ensure no evidence is overlooked, Sedor said.
Although Thursday was a blustery day, it did not constitute a big crosswind at the time of the landing, Sedor said.
The team has not yet checked to see if the MD10 aircraft, which is the cargo version of the DC10 passenger aircraft, has a history of landing gear failure, he said.
"In every investigation, we look at all aspects," Sedor said. "We will be on the scene another three or four days."
Producing the final report of an accident like this typically takes eight to 10 months, Sedor said

[Ranger One]

Huck: A wind of that magnitude would have been sporty, and there were other special reports from near that time period of gusts to 42.

Ouch. Deja vu... Wasn't there discussion of this just a month or so ago? CAL, MD-11, Hong Kong, ?99?, typhoon? Wing drop, came down with an almighty one-sided thump that either broke a main gear or pushed it clean through the wing?

R1

[Daysleeper]

ShoreGuy
The landing gears on freighters are stressed more than their passenger counterparts for the obvious reasons – higher average takeoff weights and higher average landing weights

Um I dont think so, on the 757 my charter friends always operate with full pax loads and a high ZFW. we on the otherhand have reduced our certified MTOW as even a full load of freight is often lighter than a full bulk load of pax, sounds crazy i know but airfreight items are usually high value not neccessarely high weigh.

Look at a sort ramp for FedEx, UPS, Airborne, DHL, etc. The aircraft are packed together

our aircraft are operated the same as pax ones in all areas, so nose in push out is normal in the hubs which would cause the same side loads as on a pax aircraft. Although i am unsure of the details of our USA operations. Indeed our maint standards are often higher as the aircraft spend all day and most weekends on the ground allowing our engineers more time to crawl over them, unlike the high utilisation rates of the passenger world.

[arcniz]

The real fact is that nobody knows the gear load history because no record exists. This problem will go away in future generations, but that won't help those of us now who are lower on the food chain & so get to wear these relics out to their last stand.

[HotDog]

CI 642 crashed on landing on RW25L VHHH, Aug. 22,1999. during typhoon SAM. Final wind check was 32028/G36.

Quote from HKG CAD Accident report:

5. After becoming visual with the runway, the Commander disconnected the autopilot but left the autothrottle system still engaged. The aeroplane then continued to track the extended centreline, but descended and stabilised slightly low on the glideslope. At around 50 feet above the runway, coincident with the reduction of power to flight idle by the autothrottle system and the increase in pitch attitude, the indicated airspeed reduced from 170 knots to 152 knots immediately before touchdown. Although an attempt was made to flare the aeroplane in a slightly right wing down attitude (less than 4 degrees), the sink rate was maintained and the aeroplane made a hard landing at 1844 hr. Its right main wheels contacted the runway first and the touchdown was made inside the touchdown zone on the runway centreline. The underside of the right engine cowling then impacted the runway and there was an outbreak of fire followed by the detachment of the right wing. The left wing which remained intact then lifted up and the aeroplane commenced a roll and yaw to the right, which could not be corrected, and ended up in an inverted, reversed position on a grass area just to the right of the runway, some 1100 metres from the threshold.

10. The right main landing gear had separated from its mount. All four tires remained attached to the truck beam. The left main landing gear remained attached to the wing and fuselage at its attachment points. There was no evidence of any impact or fire damage to the left main landing gear. The centre landing gear fractured at the bottom of the cylinder near the axle. Its wheel truck with tires was found on the runway near the wreckage. The nose landing gear remained attached to the front section of the fuselage with minimal structural damage.

http://streaming.scmp.com/aircrash/CAL_Plane_crash1f.avi

[breid]

Thanks Hotdog. Where can one get a copy of that report?

[TRF4EVR]

As a former ramp rat/marshaller, I can verify that (at least as of about 5 years ago) UPS air hub in Louisville, which is of a pretty similar size to FedEx's Memphis operation from what I understand, was using pushbacks on only one of four ramps, mostly on 757s. Getting the aircraft out of spots was a little "tricky" if the inbound marshallers had messed up a bit. What effect this has on sideload fatigue on a DC-10, I obviously can't say, and I might point out that a lot of the aircraft we were nosing out of tight spots were very high time super 70 series DC-8s, and none of them had catastrophic landing accidents that I'm aware of. Nor am I making any claims expressed or implied w/r/t the cause of this particular accident.

[Airbubba]

>>...I might point out that a lot of the aircraft we were nosing out of tight spots were very high time super 70 series DC-8s, and none of them had catastrophic landing accidents that I'm aware of. <<

How about this one:
______________________________

NTSB Identification: NYC95IA106 . The docket is stored in the (offline) NTSB Imaging System.
Scheduled 14 CFR Part 121: Air Carrier UNITED PARCEL SERVICE
Incident occurred Saturday, May 13, 1995 in LOUISVILLE, KY
Probable Cause Approval Date: 2/27/96
Aircraft: DOUGLAS DC-8-71, registration: N707UP
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.
THE DC-8-71 LANDED, AND THEN ON ROLLOUT, IT SETTLED TO THE RIGHT, ALLOWING THE #3 AND #4 ENGINE COWLINGS TO SETTLE ONTO THE RUNWAY. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR CYLINDER HAD FAILED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY, JUST ABOVE THE RETRACT CYLINDER ATTACH POINT. THE LANDING GEAR THEN ROTATED AND COLLAPSED REARWARD. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR CYLINDER REVEALED PREEXISTING CRACKS ON THE INSIDE SURFACE. THE CAUSE OF THE CRACKING WAS NOT VERIFIED.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this incident as follows:

preexisting crack(s) on the inside surface of the right main landing gear cylinder, and the subsequent fracture of the cylinder, which resulted in a collapse of the right main landing gear.

Full narrative available

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001207X03525&key=1