McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 N926L

Summary

On 9 April 1992 at about 01:06 local time, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 registered N926L, operated by Trans World Airlines, was involved in an accident near Dayton, Ohio, United States. 29 people were on board. One person on the ground also died. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 April 1992 at 01:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Dayton, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Dayton Intl (DAY)

Coordinates

39.8693, -84.1895

Aircraft

McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32

Registration

N926L

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Trans World Airlines

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → St. Louis

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

NYC92LA076

Injuries not recorded.

A FAILED WHEEL RIM FOLLOWING AN INADVERTENT OVER INFLATION BY THE MECHANIC. ADDITIONAL CAUSES WERE THE FAILURE OF THE MECHANIC TO BE AWARE OF THE PRESSURE BEING USED AND HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE COMPANY TO MAKE AVAILABLE LOW PRESSURE REGULATORS FOR THEIR MECHANICS DURING NORMAL WORK HOURS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE LEFT SIDE NOSE WHEEL TIRE WAS DAMAGED DURING PUSHBACK, WHEN THE TOW BAR FAILED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED AND WHILE BEING SERVICED ON THE AIRPLANE, THE TIRE RIM FAILED, FATALLY INJURING THE MECHANIC. EXAMINATION OF THE BOTTLE USED TO SERVICE THE TIRE SHOWED TWO PRESSURE SCALES, BARS ON THE OUTSIDE AND PSI ON THE INSIDE. ONE BAR EQUALS 14.7 PSI. THE HIGH END OF THE SCALE WAS 10,000 PSI AND THE BOTTLE WAS PRESSURIZED TO 4000 PSI. THE TIRE WAS TO BE SERVICED TO 150 PSI. A CHECK OF THE REGULATOR AFTER THE ACCIDENT DISCLOSED IT WAS PROPERLY CALIBRATED. ACCORDING TO THE FAA, THE TIRE RIM WAS STRESSED TO 580 PSI. EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURE SURFACE FOUND, 'NO...MANUFACTURING OR MATERIAL DEFECTS...FRACTURE SURFACE IS CONSISTENT WITH A TENSILE OVERLOAD TYPE OF FAILURE.' ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY, NO LOW PRESSURE REGULATORS WERE AVAILABLE. THEY ARE KEPT UNDER LOCK WHEN NOT IN USE AND THE RESPONSIBLE PERSON HAD ALREADY GONE HOME FOR THE DAY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.