

Descripción:
Three hours into the flight problems with the right hand fuel system caused the captain to attempt to operate the no. 3 and 4 engines from their respective main tanks. Both engines failed a little later. Flight was continued on 2 engines until the fire warning light came on for both no. 3 and 4 engines. Shortly after firing the no. 3 engine CO2 bottle the landing gear leg dropped down with its tire burning. Full takeoff power was applied as the crew prepared for a ditching. The aircraft was able to reach Floyd Bennett and landed 775 feet from the south end of runway 01, skidding for another 2167 feet on the runway. It appeared that the engine problems were caused by electrical arcing between an aluminum battery bus bar and an engine control pulley bracket in the no. 3 engine nacelle.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was electrical arcing between the battery 'bus' and an engine control pulley bracket in the No 3 engine nacelle. This arcing resulted from the lack of adequate protection for the 'bus'."
» CAB File No. 1-0083
| Estado: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Fecha: | sábado 20 septiembre 1947 |
| Hora: | 18:23 |
| Tipo: |  Douglas DC-4 |
| Operador: | Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) |
| Registración: | NC88911 |
| Numéro de série: | 27229 |
| Año de Construcción: | 1944 |
| Tripulación: | Fatalidades: 0 / Ocupantes: 5 |
| Pasajeros: | Fatalidades: 0 / Ocupantes: 36 |
| Total: | Fatalidades: 0 / Ocupantes: 41 |
| Daños en la Aeronave: | Anulado |
| Consecuencias: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Ubicación: | New York-Floyd Bennett Field, NY (NOP) ( Estados Unidos de América)
|
| Fase: | En ruta (ENR) |
| Naturaleza: | Vuelo Internacional Programado |
| Aeropuerto de Salida: | Bermuda Air Terminal (BDA/TXKF), Bermudas |
| New York-La Guardia Airport, NY (LGA/KLGA), Estados Unidos de América | |
| Número de Vuelo: | PA131 |
Three hours into the flight problems with the right hand fuel system caused the captain to attempt to operate the no. 3 and 4 engines from their respective main tanks. Both engines failed a little later. Flight was continued on 2 engines until the fire warning light came on for both no. 3 and 4 engines. Shortly after firing the no. 3 engine CO2 bottle the landing gear leg dropped down with its tire burning. Full takeoff power was applied as the crew prepared for a ditching. The aircraft was able to reach Floyd Bennett and landed 775 feet from the south end of runway 01, skidding for another 2167 feet on the runway. It appeared that the engine problems were caused by electrical arcing between an aluminum battery bus bar and an engine control pulley bracket in the no. 3 engine nacelle.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was electrical arcing between the battery 'bus' and an engine control pulley bracket in the No 3 engine nacelle. This arcing resulted from the lack of adequate protection for the 'bus'."
Accident investigation:

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Fuentes:
» Air Britain Casualty compendium (pt. 46)» CAB File No. 1-0083
Fotos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Bermuda Air Terminal to New York-La Guardia Airport, NY as the crow flies is 1235 km (772 miles).
Distance from Bermuda Air Terminal to New York-La Guardia Airport, NY as the crow flies is 1235 km (772 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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