Wing Tank Explosion Madras

[TheShadow]

NTSB SENDS TEAM TO INDIA TO ASSIST INVESTIGATION OF AIRLINER WING FUEL TANK EXPLOSION
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The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a team of investigators to Bangalore, India, to assist in the investigation of a reported left wing fuel tank explosion on a Transmile Airlines B727-200.
The incident involving a Malaysia-registered airplane occurred May 4, 2006, during a ground repositioning. There were no passengers on board and no injuries were reported.
"The tragic TWA 800 accident in 1996 highlighted the vulnerability of transport aircraft fuel tanks," said NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker. "A decade later, the issue remains a major concern of the Safety Board and is on our Most Wanted List of Safety Improvements. I am hopeful what is learned in this investigation may provide added impetus for a resolution of this problem without further delay. "
The NTSB team will be led by Lorenda Ward, the U.S.
Accredited Representative. She will be joined by three Safety Board specialists in systems, structures and fire/explosions, plus representatives of the FAA and the Boeing corporation.
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Should reinvigorate this long running issue (http://dms.dot.gov/search/searchResultsSimple.cfm?numberValue=22997&searchType=docket))
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Doesn't seem to have made the world's press thus far....

[Earl]

The TWA and restrictions that followed were placed due to center wing tank problems with the fuel pumps becoming uncovered .
This stated the left wing.
Does the 727 have center wing tanks?

[hetfield]

The TWA and restrictions that followed were placed due to center wing tank problems with the fuel pumps becoming uncovered .
This stated the left wing.
Does the 727 have center wing tanks?

Yes, one tank (some with an additional aux-tank).

[Joetom]

:For info, think most normal fuel feed for APU is from the left tank/s.

Would be interesting to how many APUs shut down due lack of fuel and pump/s are not replaced. Infact good to know which fuel pumps have been run dry on all aircrafts.

These are rare events, but they bite hard.!!

[vapilot2004]

The 727 center tanks are usually 2 tanks near the wing root connected to tanks spanning the box area. The 727 APU gets fuel from the center or #2 tank.

[Continuous Ignition]

captjns,
Can you tell me where you found that information on the fuel tank feed for the 727?
I have worked on 727's nearly my whole career (13 years) as a Flight Mech and Line Mech here in the US and abroad and for many different airlines and operators and I have never seen one that could feed from anything other than the center tank.
This includes the -100, -200 and the -200Adv with the intergral #2 tank as well as the bladder tanks on the old basic -200's and -100's.
quoting Benson's website "The APU uses fuel from the number 2 tank"
http://www.boeing-727.com/Data/systems/infoapu.html

[captjns]

captjns,
Can you tell me where you found that information on the fuel tank feed for the 727?

Boeing-727.com is a good source for general information on the 727. However as you know Boeing-727.com is an unofficial site. It is no way connected to The Boeing Aircraft Company.

Pull out one of your B-727-200 AFM Volume I and refer to illustration of the fuel system on C.S.P. 15.10.07 dated Feb 27, 1981.

True, the APU normally receives fuel from fuel tank number two under pressure via any fuel boost pump or gravity if sufficient fuel is contained in tank number two.

Fuel tanks 1 and 3 can also feed the APU under positive pressure. Let’s use tank number 3 as an example with all 8 fuel boost pumps off in all 3 tanks.

Turn on a fuel boost pump on in tank number 3;
Open the tank number 3 fuel cross feed valve. The fuel cross feed manifold is now pressurized;
Open the tank number 2 cross feed valve;
Confirm all 4 fuel boost pumps in tank number 2 are off.Fuel will now be fed from tank number 3 under positive pressure. As in tanks 1 and 3, check valves down stream from the boost pumps prevent inadvertent transfer of fuel to the non pressurized fuel tank.

This feature was not available to the -100 series or earlier basic -200 series either.

[Trent Steel]

Has anyone been able to find out anymore about what actually happened with this incident? Looks pretty interesting but couldn't find anymore details anywhere on the web.

[gwillie]

Here it is:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/271467_fueltanks25.html

[Trent Steel]

Thanks for that.

Will have to wait and see what the NTSB (hey that rhymes) come up with. Seems like flying on a 727 may become a bit of a lottery as they age!

[captjns]

Like any aircraft maintain or flown by a 3rd or 4th world nation... The odds are pretty low.

[gwillie]

Also - from today's Seattle Times...(NOTE the preamble "Information in this article, originally published May 25, 2006, was corrected on May 25, 2006. An earlier version of this story said that a proposed new FAA rule on aircraft fuel tank safety won't apply to Boeing 727 jets because they have no center fuel tank. In fact 727s do have a center fuel tank. The rule will not apply to them because the tank is not near a heat source.")
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003017148_ntsb25.html

[Kitsune]

Like any aircraft maintain or flown by a 3rd or 4th world nation... The odds are pretty low.

So the TWA CWT was maintained by which 3rd or 4th world nation......:rolleyes:

[captjns]

So the TWA CWT was maintained by which 3rd or 4th world nation......:rolleyes:

I guess a number of speculators have differences of opinion what brought 800 down.:ugh:

[20driver]

Originally Posted by Kitsune
So the TWA CWT was maintained by which 3rd or 4th world nation......

The plane did one or two stints in Iran and time in desert storage. It started and ended at TWA. I've always being suprised it's multi national past was never made more of an issue.
20driver

[ASIAN FROG]

Yes,
The captjns post is too much arrogant. Some 3rd or 4th world nation have ethical behaviors far better than 1st world one. And as citizen of one of the first or second world nations and guest in one of those 3rd or 4th world nations, I thank the last ones for their hospitality, it is also my responsability to inform and train their people on the last evolution of the technologies in order to improve this world.
More, can we have a definition of this classification by captjns?
For its cultural arrogance, I will put a particular "Number 1" country as the socially tenth one in the worldwide village

[SIDSTAR]

This particular company has been rotten for years. Talk of intimidation of pilots and the DCA in their pocket and you'll get the idea. Many Captains told to shut up about technical issues or not have a work permit the following day etc etc. We all await the technical result of the investigation.

[HAWK21M]

It occurred at BLR & not MAA.
It occured at Night.
Post Rectification on a Wing Leak reported earlier.
As per persons present at BLR at the time.
regds
MEL