Douglas DC-9-51 N415EA

Summary

On 22 June 1990 at about 00:00 local time, a Douglas DC-9-51 registered N415EA, operated by Eastern Air Lines, Inc., was involved in an incident near Atlanta, Georgia, United States. 111 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

22 June 1990 at 00:00

Classification

Incident

Location

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Atlanta Int'l Airport (ATL)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Douglas DC-9-51

Registration

N415EA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Eastern Air Lines, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Kansas City

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL90IA136

Nobody was injured.

INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE WHICH RESULTED IN OPERATION OF THE TIRE WHILE UNDER INFLATED AND ITS SUBSEQUENT FAILURE. A FACTOR IN THE INCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE QUALITY CONTROL BY THE TIRE RECAPPING FACILITY WHICH FAILED TO REPAIR A PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED TIRE DEFECT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING THE TAKE OFF ROLL A BLOW OUT OCCURRED TO THE NO. 4 TIRE. THE AIRPLANE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT & LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. EXAMINATION OF THE TIRE REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE INNER LINER CONSISTENT WITH UNDER INFLATION. THE MAINT PROGRAM FOR THE OPERATOR REQUIRES TIRE PRESSURES TO BE CHECKED WITH A GAUGE DURING LAY OVER SERVICE INSPECTIONS. MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THE INSPECTION WAS DONE THE PREVIOUS DAY. RECAP RECORDS FOR THE TIRE ALSO REVEALED THAT IT WAS RECAPPED & DELIVERED TO THE OPERATOR WITH A PIN HOLE IN THE LINER WHICH ALLOWED A SLOW LEAK. THE PIN HOLE WAS NOT REPAIRED PRIOR TO DELIVERY TO THE OPERATOR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.