Boeing 737-3B7 N390US

Summary

On 18 July 1995 at about 20:30 local time, a Boeing 737-3B7 registered N390US was involved in an incident near Orlando, Florida, United States. 120 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 July 1995 at 20:30

Classification

Incident

Location

Orlando, Florida, United States

Coordinates

28.4194, -81.2990

Aircraft

Boeing 737-3B7

Registration

N390US

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pittsburgh → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA95IA187

Nobody was injured.

CONTAMINATION OF THE WIRING HARNESS AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS TO THE E-1-2 AND E-1-3 SHELF DISCONNECT BRACKETS IN THE ELECTRONICS COMPARTMENT, WHICH RESULTED IN AN ELECTRICAL FAULT AND AN UNCOMMANDED ROLL MALFUNCTION OF THE AUTOPILOT. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE INCIDENT WAS: INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FLIGHT EXPERIENCED AN UNCOMMANDED ROLL TO THE LEFT DURING DESCENT FOR LANDING. THE FLIGHT CREW DISENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT AND YAW DAMPER, BUT REENGAGED THE YAW DAMPER SINCE THERE WAS NO APPARENT YAW PROBLEM. THE DESCENT WAS CONTINUED AND A LANDING WAS MADE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. EXAMINTATION REVEALED THE CONNECTOR PLUGS AND WIRING HARNESS TO THE E-1-2 AND E-1-3 SHELF DISCONNECT BRACKETS IN THE ELECTRONICS COMPARTMENT WERE CONTAMINATED WITH WATER AND A BLUE RESIDUE. THE SOURCES OF CONTAMINATION WERE WATER FROM A CURRENT MAIN CABIN DOOR LEAK AND BLUE RESIDUE FROM A PREVIOUS LEAK OF THE FORWARD LAVATORY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.