Investigators believe a fluid leak and multiple incorrectly installed parts may have caused an American Airlines plane to catch fire after an emergency landing at Denver International Airport in March. The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report Thursday.
These findings have not yet been deemed the exact cause of the fire and the investigation continues.
The Boeing 737 was towed to a maintenance hangar for examination after the fire. The report says heat and smoke burns were found along the right side of the plane and that visible leaking fluid can be seen coming from the right side of the plane in a video NTSB obtained from DIA airport operations.
According to the report, the No. 2 engine on the right side overheated during takeoff. The engine's temperature reduced after the gear and flaps were retracted and the power was slightly reduced. The report also says the captain noted vibrations coming from the engine.
The flight, which took off from the Colorado Springs airport, reached 16,000 feet before it diverted to land at DIA. The original destination was Dallas/Fort Worth. Twelve passengers received minor injuries.
According to the report, passengers started yelling “smoke” and “fire” just as the plane pulled into the gate at DIA. They were able to evacuate using a slide at the back right door as well as the front left door and the over-wing doors on the left side. The back left door was jammed by the escape slide which has been sent to the manufacturer for an investigation.
The report lists American Airlines, General Electric, Aerospace, Federal Aviation Administration, The Boeing Company, Allied Pilots Association, Transport Workers Union - International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Association of Professional Flight Attendants, and Denver Airport as part of the investigation.
