Boeing 737-3B7 N396US

Summary

On 5 August 1995 at about 14:00 local time, a Boeing 737-3B7 registered N396US, operated by Usair, was involved in an incident near Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. 83 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

5 August 1995 at 14:00

Classification

Incident

Location

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.2305, -80.9107

Aircraft

Boeing 737-3B7

Registration

N396US

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Usair

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albany → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA95IA194

Nobody was injured.

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE 'A' SYSTEM FLIGHT CONTROL COMPUTER BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, WHICH RESULTED IN PIN CONNECTOR(S) BEING PUSHED LOOSE AND SUBSEQUENT MALFUNCTION OF THE AUTOPILOT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT DURING DESCENT THROUGH 12,000 FEET WITH THE 'A' SYSTEM AUTOPILOT ENGAGED AND WITH AN AIRSPEED OF 250 KNOTS, THERE WAS AN UNCOMMANDED ROLL TO THE LEFT. HE DISENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT AND ROLLED THE THE AIRPLANE TO WINGS LEVEL FLIGHT, THEN CONTINUED THE FLIGHT WITH THE AUTOPILOT OFF. POSTINCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL CONNECTION IN AN 'A' AUTOPILOT CIRCUIT, DUE TO PIN CONNECTOR(S) BEING PUSHED OUT OF PLACE ON THE FLIGHT CONTROL COMPUTER SHELF CONNECTOR. ONE OF THE PINS WAS IN THE AILERON POSITION SENSOR EXCITATION CIRCUIT. THE 'A' FLIGHT CONTROL COMPUTER HAD BEEN REMOVED AND REINSTALLED THE DAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT TO INSPECT THE RACK FOR FLUID CONTAMINATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.