McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32F N935F

Summary

On 9 February 1989 at about 08:00 local time, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32F registered N935F was involved in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. 2 people were on board and one died. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 February 1989 at 08:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32F

Registration

N935F

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ogden → San Antonio

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW89MA047

1 person died.

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE CAPTAIN (PILOT-IN-COMMAND) AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE PORTABLE OXYGEN SYSTEM, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS INCAPACITATION DUE TO HYPOXIA. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE BY FAILING TO REINSTALL THE AFT PRESSURE BULKHEAD HATCH (INSPECTION DOOR) AND POOR CREW COORDINATION.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AS 1ST OFFICER (FO) WAS FLYING ACFT, DRG CLB AFTER TKOF, CABIN WOULDN'T PRESSURIZE. HE BGN LVL OFF AT 16,000', BUT CAPT ORDERED HIM TO CONT CLBG TO ASSIGNED FLT LVL (FL 330), WHILE HE (THE CAPT) WENT AFT TO FND PRBLM. FO DISLIKED THE ORDER,BUT COMPLIED RATHER THAN CONFRONT CAPT. CAPT LEFT COCKPIT WITH PORTABLE 'ON DEMAND' OXYGEN (O2) SYS, WHICH HAD 15 MIN SUPPLY OF O2. WHEN CAPT DIDN'T RTRN, FO TRIED SIGNALING HIM. THO RELUCTANT TO COUNTERMAND CAPT'S ORDER, FO MADE SERIES OF DSCNTS TO 13,000'. AFTER ABT 30 MIN, HE LEFT COCKPIT & FND CAPT UNCONSCIOUS & UNRESPONSIVE IN FWD CARGO AREA WITH O2 MASK ON HIS FACE. CAPT'S FOOT WAS ENTANGLED IN CARGO NET WHICH CVRD A PALLET. FO TRIED TO REVIVE CAPT, TO NO AVAIL, THENDECLARED EMERG & LNDD AT LUBBOCK. CAPT WAS RUSHED TO HOSPITAL, BUT WAS DEAD ON ARRIVAL. EXAM REVEALED AFT PRESSURE BULK-HEAD WAS NOT INSTALLED. IT HAD BEEN REMOVED FOR MAINT BFR FLT. PORTABLE O2 SYS WAS STILL FULL, INDCG CAPT HAD LITTLE OR NO USE OF O2; IT WAS TESTED & FUNCTIONED NMLY. GROUP OF 8 FORENSIC PATHOLOGISTS CONCLUDED CAPT DIED FM HYPOXIC HYPOXIA.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.