Aviation Crash Map

Douglas DC-9-32 N986US

5 May 1994 · Memphis, Tennessee, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 5 May 1994 at about 13:55 local time, a Douglas DC-9-32 registered N986US, operated by Northwest Airlines, Inc, was involved in an incident near Memphis, Tennessee, United States. 69 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.

The record

Date
at 13:55
Classification
Incident
Location
Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Nearest airport
Memphis International (MEM)
Coordinates
35.0305, -90.0107
Aircraft
Douglas DC-9-32
Registration
N986US
Category
Airplane
Engines
3
Operating rule
Part 121: Air Carrier
Purpose of flight
Unknown
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Unknown → Phoenix
Aircraft damage
Minor
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
ATL94IA097

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
69 0 0 0 69

Probable cause

THE FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER OUTER CASE. A FACTOR WAS THE MANUFACTURER'S INADEQUATE INSPECTION CRITERIA.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING TAKEOFF, AN UNCONTAINED FAILURE OF THE LEFT ENGINE OCCURRED. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED A FATIGUE FRACTURE THROUGH A REAR FLANGE BOLT HOLE OF THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER OUTER CASE, AT THE THREE O'CLOCK POSITION OF THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN INSPECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN APPLICABLE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE; HOWEVER, THE FRACTURE OCCURRED 2,060 CYCLES PRIOR TO THE NEXT SCHEDULED INSPECTION. ADDITIONAL INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS RESULTED FROM THE EXAMINATIONS OF THE ENGINE AND THE FRACTURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Douglas DC-9 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
28 Jan 1994 Douglas DC-9-32
N3339L
Chantilly, Virginia, United States
no coordinates
Value Jet Airlines No injuries -
5 Jul 1994 Douglas DC-9-32
N901VJ
Valdosta, Georgia, United States Valujet Airlines Inc. Serious injuries -
2 Jul 1994 Douglas DC-9-31
N954VJ
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States - Fatal 37
19 Dec 1995 Douglas DC-9-32
N925L
Saint Louis, Missouri, United States Trans World Airlines, Inc. No injuries -
8 Jun 1995 Douglas DC-9-32
N908VJ
Atlanta, Georgia, United States - Serious injuries -
29 Mar 1995 Douglas DC-9-32
N5342L
Abilene, Texas, United States Grand Airways Fatal 1

All 160 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
5 Mar 1994 Pzl-Bielsko SZD-55-1
N551TJ
McMinnville, Tennessee, United States - No injuries -
15 Mar 1994 Cessna 210
N732HA
Nashville, Tennessee, United States - Minor injuries -
15 Mar 1994 Cessna 152
N95010
Lebanon, Tennessee, United States Smyrna Flight Academy No injuries -
23 Mar 1994 Cessna 140
N76342
Celina, Tennessee, United States Vassilev, James H. Fatal 1
7 Apr 1994 McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30
N306FE
Memphis, Tennessee, United States - Serious injuries -
9 Apr 1994 Beechcraft C-23
N6639C
Collegedale, Tennessee, United States Acklin, Edward T. Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States