McDonnell Douglas DC9-51 N689HA

Summary

On 20 August 1988 at about 16:26 local time, a McDonnell Douglas DC9-51 registered N689HA, operated by Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., was involved in an incident near Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. 144 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 August 1988 at 16:26

Classification

Incident

Location

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Nearest airport

Honolulu Int'l (HNL)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

McDonnell Douglas DC9-51

Registration

N689HA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kona → Honolulu

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX88IA295

Nobody was injured.

THE AIRCRAFTS ENCOUNTER WITH THE ENGINE EXHAUST FLOW AND RELATED TURBULENCE FROM A HEAVY BOEING 747, WHICH CROSSED THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY ABOUT 1 MINUTE AND TEN SECONDS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HAWAIIAN DC9 WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RWY 8L. ALL PASSENGER AIRCRAFT DEPARTING RWY 8R FROM THE PASSENGER TERMINAL MUST CROSS THE APPROACH END OF RWY 8L. A HEAVY BOEING 747 CROSSED THE APPROACH END OF RWY 8L ENROUTE TO 8R ABOUT 1 MINUTE AND 10 SECONDS PRIOR TO THE TOUCHDOWN OF THE DC9. THE DC9 CREW SAID THE APPROACH WAS STABILIZED AT VREF PLUS 10 WITH A 600 FPM DESCENT RATE. AT 50 FEET AGL OVER THE APPROACH END OF THE RWY. THE AIRSPEED SUDDENLY DECREASED TO VREF AND A HIGH SINK RATE DEVELOPED. THE PILOT FLYING WAS ABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT RATE WITH POWER AND A PITCH ATTITUDE INCREASE. THE PITCH ATTITUDE WAS BEYOND THE 10.4 DEGREE PITCH ATTITUDE REQUIRED TO STRIKE THE TAIL SKID. THE TAIL SKID BROKE OFF AND DAMAGED SOME INTERNAL MEMBERS IN THE TAIL AREA.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.