Aviation Crash Map

Douglas DC-9-31 N1799U

18 May 2007 · Syracuse, New York, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 18 May 2007 at about 17:00 local time, a Douglas DC-9-31 registered N1799U was involved in an accident near Syracuse, New York, United States. 99 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 17:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Syracuse, New York, United States
Nearest airport
Syracuse Hancock International (SYR)
Coordinates
43.1111, -76.1064
Aircraft
Douglas DC-9-31
Registration
N1799U
Category
Airplane
Engines
2
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 121: Air Carrier
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Syracus → Detroit
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
NYC07LA121

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
99 0 0 0 99

Probable cause

The senior ground agent's failure to follow written procedures and directives.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While at its departure airport, a Douglas DC-9-31’s baggage was loaded by contract ramp personnel. After departure, the airplane was climbing through approximately 20,000 feet mean sea level (msl), when the flight crew heard a "loud pop" and the cabin depressurized. The flight crew donned their oxygen masks and diverted to the closest airport in point of time, and landed uneventfully. Postflight inspection of the accident airplane revealed a 12-inch by 5-inch fuselage skin tear, approximately 6 feet forward of the forward cargo door. During the course of the investigation it was revealed that at some point during the aircraft luggage off-loading or loading process, the engine of the belt loader quit operating. The senior of three ground agents working the flight decided to move the belt loader away from the airplane by pushing the belt loader with a luggage tug; however, during the attempt to move the belt loader, the tug’s cab contacted the fuselage. The senior ground agent then advised "don’t say anything" to one of the other employees who was working the flight with him, and the airplane departed and later depressurized. The senior ground agent’s actions were contrary to published guidance in the company’s training handbook and operation manual.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

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All 160 records for this type

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All 170,864 records in United States