Saturday, July 26, 2008

Four Star Air Cargo DC-3 engine fire at St. Thomas

DC-3On Wednesday, July 23, 2008, a DC-3 cargo aircraft operated by Four Star Air Cargo experienced an engine fire while taxiing at King Airport, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. No one was injured.

A preliminary report about the incident on the FAA website said that on landing, the aircraft exited to the ramp at the departure end of the runway and reported a left engine on fire. According to a news report about the incident in the Virgin Islands Daily News, the fire was quickly extinguished by airport firefighters.

The extent of the damage to the DC-3 (registration number N131FS), which was manufactured in 1944, was listed as "unknown" in the FAA preliminary report.

With so few of these venerable old planes still flying regularly, one can only hope that the damage can be repaired and that the airplane can return to service. Four Star Air Cargo uses several DC-3 aircraft to fly freight between destinations in the Caribbean.

[Photo Source]