NTSB Identification: ANC04IA115
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Incident occurred Sunday, September 26, 2004 in Anchorage, AK
Aircraft: McDonnell Douglas MD-82, registration: N16894
Injuries: 131 Uninjured.

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 September 26, 2004, about 0800 Alaska daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 airplane, N16894, had a partial loss of engine power during takeoff from the Ted Stevens International Airport, Anchorage, Alaska. The flight was being conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 91, as a public use flight, operated by the Department of Justice, United States Marshals Service. The purpose of the flight was to transport prisoners between Anchorage and Phoenix, Arizona. There were no injuries to the 2 pilots, 17 guards, or the 112 prisoners aboard. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight plan had been filed for the intermediate flight to Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington.

During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on September 29, the captain stated that during the takeoff roll on runway 32, as the airplane's airspeed increased to about 90 knots, a loud bang was heard, immediately followed by the airplane's slight veer to the left of the runway centerline. The crew aborted the takeoff, suspecting that one of the airplane's left tires had blown during the takeoff roll. The captain said that she then taxied the airplane off of the active runway, onto an adjacent taxiway to assess the situation. She said that with both engines operating at idle, while stopped on the taxiway, a maintenance technician that was aboard, deplaned to inspect the airplane's condition, specifically the condition of the airplane landing gear. When the mechanic returned to the cockpit area, he reported that no mechanical anomalies were noted with the landing gear.

The captain said that as she advanced the number one engine's throttle to about 1.4 engine pressure ratio (EPR), a slight airframe vibration was felt, along with a loud noise that "sounded like a sewing machine." She added that after the airplane was taxied to the parking area, an inspection of the number one engine revealed damage to the first stage disk.

The captain reported that prior to the incident takeoff, the airplane remained parked overnight, outside, prior to the incident flight. She added that while the airplane remained in Anchorage overnight, heavy wet snow was present. According to contract maintenance crews, engine inlet plugs were not used while the airplane was in Anchorage overnight. A supervisor for the contract maintenance company reported to the NTSB IIC that prior to departure, a maintenance technician visually inspected both engine inlets for any accumulation of debris.

The airplane's flight data recorder (FDR) and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) were removed and shipped to the NTSB's Washington, D.C., vehicle recorder division.

Ted Stevens International Airport weather observation at the time of the incident consisted of: Sky conditions and ceiling, 200 feet few, 600 feet overcast; visibility, 10 statute mile; wind, 290 degrees at 8 knots; temperature, 37 degrees F.

Fonte: NTSB - 26/09/2004