ABX Air fire under investigation
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a fire that burned a hole through the top of the fuselage of an ABX Air Boeing 767 converted cargo plane at San Francisco International Airport on June 28.
The fire started outside the cargo hold behind the cockpit as the two-man flight crew prepared to start the engines, the agency said Thursday. Airport firefighters were able to douse the fire, but not before it caused substantial damage to the aircraft. The crewmembers escaped the aircraft without injury.
| A June 28 fire burned a hole through the top of the fuselage of this ABX Air Boeing 767 cargo plane. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. |
A week prior to the accident ABX received a threat against an unspecified aircraft, but preliminary examinations have not revealed any indication of an explosive or incendiary device, the NTSB said. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies are participating in the investigation.
The ABX 767 was flying under lease to DHL Express, which has indicated it plans to terminate its contract and shift its domestic air shipments to UPS Airlines as part of a major restructuring of its U.S. operations.
