F-35A fire at Mountain Home

a reply to: Zaphod58

Glad it happened at start on the ground. Hope they diagnose the cause before it occurs again. Perhaps on takeoff.

Kind regards,

bally.

a reply to: bally001

It's possible it's related to the previous engine problem. They haven't modified all the engine housings yet, and it will take awhile to finish, but I would think that it would have to have deformed for it to rub to the point it would start a fire at start when it was at low power. A fuel leak, either static, or as fuel started flowing seems more likely IMO.

Previous fire was excessive chaffing through lining due to substandard Titanium wasnt it?

I read a few days ago about the F-35's having a issue with the fuel lines which would be a more plausible reason for engine fires. But Alien dog fight sounds way cooler. pew pew! was Will Smith involved?

Wrong movie..

a reply to: Blackfinger

Previous problem was excess engine flex during maneuvering, causing parts to rub. The rub would cause excess temperature and cause damage to the turbine blades. Failure would eventuate.

originally posted by: boncho

originally posted by: Gothmog
a reply to: boncho

Lightning, on patches can refer to something else,

Want to try again? Use extreme proof if replying.

I never said I was trying to prove anything. Brilliant straw mans you guys are arguing....

I will probably get a manners violation but the village called, they want their idiot back.

What you have just written, wow, I truly hope you are not being serious, nonsense to your straw man argument, your thinking outside of the box is than an Aircaft, still not FOC was in a laser battle with an alien space craft over the US. That's not outside the box, that's outside reality.

Initial investigation looks even more like a fuel leak. The fire started in the exhaust pipe during startup. It appears that fuel pooled in the exhaust, and as they started winds blew up the exhaust, creating a condition where the fuel was ignited, starting the fire. Winds were gusting to 37 and 45 mph that day. Reports are that a significant portion of the outer skin was burned, but they will have to go into the structure to see how bad the damage really is.

aviationweek.com...

How much of the skin is aluminium and how much is composite on the F35?

According to the AIB report, it was an uncontained engine fire caused by wind up the exhaust. The wind blew hot air into the integrated power pack inlet. Due to the low engine RPM and torque fuel was sprayed into the engine at an increased rate.

Once the fire left the exhaust pipe the wind blew it along the aircraft fuselage. Damage is estimated at $17M, but the aircraft is still being evaluated.

Because the aircraft’s weapon bay doors are open during engine start, the fire spread to aircraft surfaces, panels, cables and components. The aircraft’s landing gear was damaged, and its integrated power pack will need to be replaced.

Investigators noted that the engine’s exhaust nozzle section was engulfed in flames but did not spell out how much of the engine will need to be repaired or replaced.

www.defensenews.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Sounds like the combustion chamber drain was clogged. When the engine turned up, it blew the unburned fuel back into the tailpipe where it ignited. The wind must have blew some of that fuel back into the gap between the tailpipe and the airframe.
Our helos used to do that and scare the hell out of a new guy standing fire guard. If the power turbine temperature returned to normal within a few seconds we didn't even abort the start.

The F=35 is a new aircraft. Things like this are going to happen. They do to every aircraft. As time goes on these things will become fewer and fewer but they will never entirely go away. We flew Sikorsky Sea Kings that were built in the 1960's and we still had things like this happen.

The AIB report shows that the fire was caused by strong winds up the exhaust, during engine start. Hot air was forced into the inlet of the IPP, causing insufficient torque to be applied to the engine, slowing the rotation. At the same time, fuel flow to the engine was increased, causing an uncontained fire.

www.airforcemag.com...