Narrative:

While departing msp on runway 29R and after cleaning up the aircraft the tower had switched us to departure but subsequently noted flames and sparks issuing from the #3 (right) engine and advised departure to notify us. When they advised us, a check of our engine indicating instruments showed no abnormality. At that time we asked them if they still saw flames and when they said they did we declared an emergency and began a turn to come back and land. On our downwind before I made a decision to shut down the engine I asked if flames were still present. When they said no I elected not to shutdown the engine in view of our engine indications and our heavy weight. After dumping fuel we landed overgross at 152,500 #. Upon application of reverse, tower advised they again saw flames and though #3 did not accelerate in reverse when applied we shutdown the engine. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. Conversation revealed that crew did not shut engine down before landing as they had no indication in cockpit and could not be sure ground observers were giving correct engine. One on ground tower confirmed when they reversed that they again got sparks and fire from number 3 engines. After aircraft taken out of service and during runup of engine by maintenance it blew apart.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT ENGINE FIRE AFTER TKOF. RETURN AND LAND.

Narrative: WHILE DEPARTING MSP ON RWY 29R AND AFTER CLEANING UP THE ACFT THE TWR HAD SWITCHED US TO DEP BUT SUBSEQUENTLY NOTED FLAMES AND SPARKS ISSUING FROM THE #3 (R) ENG AND ADVISED DEP TO NOTIFY US. WHEN THEY ADVISED US, A CHK OF OUR ENG INDICATING INSTRUMENTS SHOWED NO ABNORMALITY. AT THAT TIME WE ASKED THEM IF THEY STILL SAW FLAMES AND WHEN THEY SAID THEY DID WE DECLARED AN EMER AND BEGAN A TURN TO COME BACK AND LAND. ON OUR DOWNWIND BEFORE I MADE A DECISION TO SHUT DOWN THE ENG I ASKED IF FLAMES WERE STILL PRESENT. WHEN THEY SAID NO I ELECTED NOT TO SHUTDOWN THE ENG IN VIEW OF OUR ENG INDICATIONS AND OUR HEAVY WT. AFTER DUMPING FUEL WE LANDED OVERGROSS AT 152,500 #. UPON APPLICATION OF REVERSE, TWR ADVISED THEY AGAIN SAW FLAMES AND THOUGH #3 DID NOT ACCELERATE IN REVERSE WHEN APPLIED WE SHUTDOWN THE ENG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. CONVERSATION REVEALED THAT CREW DID NOT SHUT ENG DOWN BEFORE LNDG AS THEY HAD NO INDICATION IN COCKPIT AND COULD NOT BE SURE GND OBSERVERS WERE GIVING CORRECT ENG. ONE ON GND TWR CONFIRMED WHEN THEY REVERSED THAT THEY AGAIN GOT SPARKS AND FIRE FROM NUMBER 3 ENGS. AFTER ACFT TAKEN OUT OF SVC AND DURING RUNUP OF ENG BY MAINT IT BLEW APART.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.