McDonnell Douglas MD-88 N908DL

Summary

On 20 November 1991 at about 15:32 local time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-88 registered N908DL, operated by Delta Air Lines, Inc., was involved in an incident near Atlanta, Georgia, United States. 29 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

20 November 1991 at 15:32

Classification

Incident

Location

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

William B. Hartsfield (ATL)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

McDonnell Douglas MD-88

Registration

N908DL

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Delta Air Lines, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Atlanta → Montgomery

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL92IA025

Nobody was injured.

A SHORT IN AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WHICH RESULTED IN ITS FAILURE. THE REASON FOR THE SHORT WAS NOT DETERMINED. A FACTOR WAS THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE CONNECTOR BY AN UNKNOWN MAINTENANCE PERSON.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF A PASSENGER IN ROW 18 REPORTED OBSERVING FLAMES COMING FROM THE OVERHEAD AREA ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT SUPPRESSED THE REPORTED AREA WITH A HALON FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO THE FLIGHT DECK. HOWEVER, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT DID NOT REPORT SEEING FLAMES. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE OVERHEAD AREA AROUND ROW 18 REVEALED THAT THE CANNON PLUG CONNECTOR ADJACENT TO THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD SHORTED. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATIONS OF THE CONNECTOR REVEALED THAT PINS IN THE MATING HALVES OF THE CONNECTOR WERE DAMAGED, AND APPEARED TO HAVE OCCURED WHEN A PREVIOUS CONNECTION WAS ATTEMPTED. RESEARCH EFFORTS TO DUPLICATE THE CONNECTOR FAILURE MODE FAILED. A REVIEW OF THE OPERATORS MAINTENANCE RECORDS FAILED TO DISCLOSE IF ANY MAINTANANCE HAD BEEN CONDUCTED IN THE AREA OF THE CONNECTOR. HOWEVER, THE OPERATOR COULD NOT VERIFY THAT THE CONNECTOR AND AFFECTED AREAS WERE NEVER SERVICED DURING A PREVIOUS STOPOVER

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.