Investigation Summary
During the taxi phase, the crew of a following aircraft alerted the pilots of Flight 405 to a fuel leak. Shortly thereafter, the leaking fuel ignited near the left engine strut. The NTSB investigation focused on the wing-to-engine strut area, where they discovered that the main fuel supply line coupling assembly had completely disconnected. This coupling is a critical junction that requires a safety lock wire to prevent the threaded components from backing off due to operational vibrations. The NTSB found that this wire was missing, a direct result of improper maintenance procedures during a 4C check conducted by Kalitta Air LLC in October 2012. The evacuation was complicated by a lack of coordination; cabin crew initiated the egress while the aircraft was still taxiing and the right engine was running. One passenger opened a right-side overwing exit, but the slide failed to deploy due to a misalignment in the pull-force increase mechanism that caused binding. The most serious injury occurred when a passenger evacuated through the 2R door and was blown to the pavement by the exhaust of the still-operating right engine. Additionally, the NTSB noted that several passengers delayed the evacuation by attempting to retrieve carry-on luggage, a recurring safety concern.
Final Conclusions
The National Transportation Safety Board released its final report on June 1, 2020. The probable cause was determined to be the failure of maintenance personnel to install the required safety lock wire on the main fuel line coupling assembly, which led to the coupling's disconnection and a subsequent high-pressure fuel leak and fire. Contributing to the severity of the evacuation injuries was the flight crew's decision to initiate the evacuation before the right engine had been shut down.
Video Analysis
The Fire on the Taxiway | Dynamic Airways Flight 405 — A look at the 2015 ground fire in Fort Lauderdale involving a Boeing 767, caused by a simple maintenance oversight and complicated by a rushed evacuation.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Flight Crew
11 total crew members were on board (2 flight crew, 9 cabin crew).
Systems & Failure Modes
Main Fuel Supply Line Coupling
A mechanical connection in the wing-to-engine strut that delivers fuel to the engine; it requires a safety lock wire to remain secure under vibration.
Emergency Evacuation Slides
Inflatable slides used for rapid egress; one passenger was seriously injured during their use in this event.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft had been in dry storage for 29 months prior to being leased by Dynamic International Airways.
- 02The airframe had only logged 240 flight hours in the six weeks leading up to the accident.
- 03The fire did not penetrate the aircraft fuselage, despite significant external thermal damage.
- 04The NTSB report specifically criticized passengers for slowing the evacuation by taking luggage with them.
- 05The aircraft was nearly 30 years old and had logged a total of 30,108 flight hours at the time of the accident.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Maintenance Procedure Review
The NTSB findings emphasized the critical importance of adhering to secondary locking mechanism requirements (safety wiring) during fuel system maintenance.