Douglas DC-9-32 CFTLU

Summary

On 2 June 1983 at about 23:20 local time, a Douglas DC-9-32 registered CFTLU, operated by Air Canada, was involved in an accident near Covington, Kentucky, United States. 46 people were on board and 23 died, 3 were seriously injured, 13 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

2 June 1983 at 23:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Covington, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Greater Cincinnati (CVG)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Douglas DC-9-32

Registration

CFTLU

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Air Canada

Operating rule

Part 129: Foreign

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dallas → Toronto

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DCA83AA028

23 people died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The Safety Board's full report on this investigation is provided as Aviation Accident Report number AAR-86/02. To obtain a copy of this report, or to view the executive summary online, please see the Web site at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/publictn.htm AT ABOUT 1903 EDT, WHILE ENROUTE AT FL 330, THE CABIN CREW DISCOVERED A FIRE IN THE AFT LAVATORY. AFTER CONTACTING ATC & DECLARING AN EMERGENCY, THE FLT CREW MADE AN EMERGENCY DESCENT & ATC VECTORED THE ACFT TO THE GREATER CINCINNATI INTL ARPT. AT 1920, THE ACFT WAS LANDED ON RWY 27L. AS THE AIRCREW STOPPED THE PLANE, FIRE DEPT PERSONNEL MOVED IN PLACE & BEGAN FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS. ALSO, AS THE PLANE STOPPED, THE OCCUPANTS BEGAN EVACUATING THE ACFT. ABOUT 60 TO 90 SEC AFTER THE EXITS WERE OPENED, A FLASH FIRE ENVELOPED THE INTERIOR OF THE ACFT. 23 PASSENGERS WERE UNABLE TO EXIT THE ACFT & DIED IN THE FIRE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT 3 FLUSH MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS HAD POPPED ABOUT 11 MIN BEFORE SMOKE WAS DETECTED. THE CAPTAIN MISCONSTRUED REPORTS THAT THE FIRE WAS ABATING WHEN HE RECEIVED CONFLICTING FIRE PROGRESS REPORTS. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE LANDED AT THE CINCINNATI INTL ARPT RATHER THAN AT LOUISVILLE WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED HIM TO LAND 3 TO 5 MIN SOONER. WET TOWELS & BREATHING THRU CLOTHING AIDED SURVIVAL. FIRE SOURCE UNK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.