ASN Aircraft accident Douglas C-54A-10-DC (DC-4) NX91068 Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Thursday 12 September 1946
Time:13:42
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC4 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Douglas C-54A-10-DC (DC-4)
Operator:Pennsylvania-Central Airlines
Registration: NX91068
MSN: 10342
First flight: 1944
Total airframe hrs:3598
Engines: 4 Pratt & Whitney R-2000-7
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA) (   United States of America)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Training
Departure airport:Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA/KDCA), United States of America
Destination airport:Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA/KDCA), United States of America
Narrative:
A no. 4 engine fire forced the crew to land immediately at Washington-National. The fire was fed by fuel and oil escaping from melted and burned fuel and oil line connections. The engine separated from the wing just prior to touchdown.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure in the No. 4 engine of the exhaust valve of the No. 2 cylinder and the exhaust connection of the No. 1 cylinder which resulted in fire in flight. A contributing factor was the inadequacy of the seal between the firewall and nacelle skin and between individual cowl panels which permitted the fire eventually to reach Zone 3 and to become uncontrollable."

Accident investigation:

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Investigating agency: CAB
Status: Investigation completed
Accident number: final report
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Engine fire
Engine separation
Forced landing on runway

Sources:
» CAB File No. 3894-46


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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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