United B39M at Newark on Jun 28th 2023, fuel leak, engine fire

Last Update: January 30, 2025 / 15:08:14 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jun 28, 2023

Classification
Incident

Airline
United

Flight number
UA-2376

Departure
Fort Lauderdale, United States

Destination
Newark, United States

Aircraft Registration
N37516

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-900MAX

ICAO Type Designator
B39M

A United Boeing 737-9 MAX, registration N37516 performing flight UA-2376 from Fort Lauderdale,FL to Newark,NJ (USA) with 179 passengers and 5 crew, had landed on Newark's runway 22L and was taxiing to the apron, when a left hand engine (LEAP) fire indication came on. The crew shut the engine down and discharged one fire bottle into the engine, the fire indication ceased. No smoke or fire was visible, the aircraft was thus towed to the gate where passengers disembarked normally.

On Jul 7th 2023 the NTSB reported maintenance personnel saw evidence of a fuel leak from the engine. The thrust reverser doors were opened and heat damage and soot were observed on the engine case and external surfaces.

On Jan 30th 2025 the NTSB released their final report and investigation docket concluding the probable cause of the incident was:

A No. 1 (left) engine fire due a fuel leak that originated from the fuel nozzle 17 b-nut connection that was not properly torqued in accordance with the aircraft maintenance manual procedure.

The NTSB analysed:

The No. 1 (left) engine fire was caused by a fuel leak that originated from an improperly torqued fuel nozzle 17 pilot secondary inlet b-nut. The leaked fuel ignited when it contacted hot engine case surfaces and resulted in an undercowl fire. Fuel nozzle b-nut torque measurements recorded during the engine teardown revealed that the pilot secondary inlet bnuts of fuel nozzles 17 and 18 both had zero torque and backed off with no resistance. Four fuel nozzles (positions 4, 16, 17 and 18) were examined at the GE Aerospace Failure Analysis Laboratory in Evendale, Ohio and no anomalies were identified that would have precluded normal function if the b-nuts had been torqued in accordance with the aircraft maintenance manual.

Although, not directly causal to the incident engine fuel leak, CFM LEAP series engine fuel nozzle coking has driven early and repetitive fuel nozzle replacements throughout the fleet.

According to United Airlines (UAL), they have completed 443 fuel nozzle set replacements on their CFM LEAP fleet as of October 2024.
Aircraft Registration Data
Registration mark
N37516
Country of Registration
United States
Date of Registration
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Manufacturer
BOEING
Aircraft Model / Type
737-9
Number of Seats
Pk Subscribe to unlock
ICAO Aircraft Type
B39M
Year of Manufacture
Mq b Subscribe to unlock
Serial Number
Mpqnc Subscribe to unlock
Aircraft Address / Mode S Code (HEX)
Amf nh Subscribe to unlock
Engine Count
G Subscribe to unlock
Engine Manufacturer
Amnpq mb Subscribe to unlock
Engine Model
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Engine Type
Icmgplidi Subscribe to unlock
Pounds of Thrust
Lbhqd Subscribe to unlock
Main Owner
KdfpcbAbeqepqcfmffhkigA mAdjjbljg phli dcbdbqncqqhngljebq gncmhl bmhed m nfeAqnjAdfgm eiAdiqAAclbbnccpqcfjAdjcield Subscribe to unlock
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jun 28, 2023

Classification
Incident

Airline
United

Flight number
UA-2376

Departure
Fort Lauderdale, United States

Destination
Newark, United States

Aircraft Registration
N37516

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-900MAX

ICAO Type Designator
B39M

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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