Douglas DC-9-32 N903VJ
1 February 1996 · Nashville, Tennessee, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 1 February 1996 at about 21:05 local time, a Douglas DC-9-32 registered N903VJ was involved in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee, United States. 80 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:05
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Nashville, Tennessee, United States
- Nearest airport
- Nashville International (BNA)
- Coordinates
- 36.1600, -86.6706
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-9-32
- Registration
- N903VJ
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 121: Air Carrier
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Atlanta → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL96FA043
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80 |
Probable cause
the failure of the right main landing gear shock strut cylinder due to preexisting fractures. Contributing to the accident was: the failure of the operator to inspect the shock strut cylinder for fractures following a previous failure of the torque links, and the absence of specific directives and procedures from the aircraft manufacturer to inspect or replace the shock strut cylinder following torque link failure.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
During landing, the right main landing gear shock strut cylinder and piston failed which caused the axle, wheels, and tires to separate. Metallurgical examination showed that the fracture surfaces had been damaged after separation. Two areas on the cylinder fracture face were not at an angle to suggest overstress separation, and ratchet marks were present which usually separate initiation sights on offset fracture planes. The piston fracture surfaces had features typical of overstress separation. The right main landing torque links had failed during landing 312 flight hours before this accident. The torque links, shimmy damper, and piston were replaced at that time; the cylinder was not replaced.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Douglas DC-9 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 May 1996 | Douglas DC-9-32 | Miami, Florida, United States | - | Fatal | 110 |
| 7 Jan 1996 | Douglas DC-9-32 | Nashville, Tennessee, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 8 Aug 1996 | Douglas DC-9-51 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Dec 1995 | Douglas DC-9-32 | Saint Louis, Missouri, United States | Trans World Airlines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 8 Jun 1995 | Douglas DC-9-32 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 29 Mar 1995 | Douglas DC-9-32 | Abilene, Texas, United States | Grand Airways | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Mar 1996 | Boeing 727-225 | Memphis, Tennessee, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Apr 1996 | Aeronca 7BCM | Portland, Tennessee, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 14 Jun 1996 | Cessna 172N | Arlington, Tennessee, United States | Memphis East Aviation | Fatal | 1 |
| 6 Jan 1996 | Cessna 210H | Columbia, Tennessee, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Jul 1996 | Boeing 737-200 | Nashville, Tennessee, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 Jul 1996 | Piper PA-23-150 | Knoxville, Tennessee, United States | Knoxville Flight Training CTR | No injuries | - |