McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 N405EA

Summary

On 18 January 1990 at about 11:47 local time, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 registered N405EA was involved in an incident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. 44 people were on board and nobody was injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 January 1990 at 11:47

Classification

Incident

Location

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Philadelphia (PHL)

Coordinates

39.8908, -75.2309

Aircraft

McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51

Registration

N405EA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Atlanta

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

NYC90IA050

Nobody was injured.

THE FLIGHT CREW OF EAL121 TAKING OFF ON A TAXIWAY. CONTRIBUTING WAS FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT CREW OF EAL 121 TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT DURING TAXI AND TAKEOFF.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE DC 9 WAS OBSERVED TO TAKEOFF ON A TAXIWAY BY PERSONNEL IN THE CONTROL TOWER. THE TAKEOFF WAS CORROBORATED BY RADAR DATA FROM THE AIRPORT AND A READOUT OF THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER. THE TAKEOFF OCCURRED JUST PRIOR TO THE START OF CIVIL TWILIGHT IN THE MORNING. THE RUNWAY HAS WHITE CENTERLINE MARKINGS, WHITE EDGE LIGHTING, AND WHITE MARKINGS. THE TAXIWAY HAD YELLOW MARKINGS AND GREEN CENTERLINE LIGHTING. THE CAPTAIN SAID HE REMEMBERED WHITE CENTERLINE LIGHTING. THE COPILOT SAID HE SAW THE CENTERLINE LIGHTS AND BELIEVED THEY WERE WHITE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.