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Old Apr 1, 2009 | 6:06 pm
  #12  
GreatChecko
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mountain West USA
Posts: 436
Since the NTSB database isn't the most powerful search engine, a lot of this comes from my personal, anecdotal, experience. I'd suggest taking a look at the database if you want to really research the subject.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp

Originally Posted by leongood
1. Just how common is an engine fire?
In modern, turbine powered aircraft they are exceptionally rare. As a pilot, I'll probably never see one in my career.

Originally Posted by leongood
2. What percentage of engine fires result in fatalities?
Again, its anecdotal, but in the industrialized world, very, very, very few. Furthermore, the fatalities that I can think of are related to training incidents before the advent of the the advanced simulators we are blessed with today.

Originally Posted by leongood
3. Given the exact moment of the fire, did the crew do an amazing job, or what? I guess a fire two seconds before take-off would be more testing...
I'd argue that this is actually one of the failure scenarios that pilots are most prepared for because we practice it in almost every simulator session we are in. We refer to it as a "V1 Cut."

V1 is the takeoff decision speed. Before that speed, we have enough runway to stop the airplane if we decide to abort the takeoff. After that speed, we have enough speed and runway to continue accelerating and climb on the remaining engine.

In this training scenario, the instructor fails an engine right at that V1 and we for the most part take off normally, climbing at a different speed, raising the gear and flaps on a predetermined schedule, securing the failed engine, and returning to the field. Modern airliners must all demonstrate a climb with only one engine and every takeoff must be able to be accomplished from the decision speed with only one engine.

IMO, while challenging, I'd choose this failure over many others because every pilot has seen it so many times that the response is almost second nature.

Originally Posted by leongood
4. Does the 757-200 have a particular problem?
I haven't heard of anything, nor could I really find anything in my cursory look at the NTSB database.

Originally Posted by leongood
5. Is there somewhere I can look for a report to see exactly what happened on my flight.
Assuming this occured in Bristol, UK, I'd watch the AAIB's website. Nothing in the March bulletin and I'm not familiar with how the AAIB decides what to publish in their bulletins, so who know's if you'll be able to read up on it.

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/publications/bulletins.cfm

Checko
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