McDonnell Douglas MD 88 N924DL

Summary

On 12 December 2017 at about 12:35 local time, a McDonnell Douglas MD 88 registered N924DL, operated by Delta Air Lines, was involved in an accident near Detroit, Michigan, United States. 61 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.

Date

12 December 2017 at 12:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Detroit, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne Cou (DTW)

Coordinates

42.2125, -83.3533

Aircraft

McDonnell Douglas MD 88

Registration

N924DL

Category

Airplane

Year built

1988

Engines

2

Operator

Delta Air Lines

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Detriot → Raleigh/Durham

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DCA18CA042

Nobody was injured.

failure of the flight crew to confirm the left engine throttle lever was at idle during engine start.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

On December 12, 2017, about 0735 EST, Delta flight 2421, Boeing McDonnell Douglas MD-88, N924DL, after being pushed back from the gate, with the towbar still connected, was substantially damaged after the airplane moved forward after engine start and struck the tug at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), Detroit, Michigan. There were no injuries to the 61 passengers and crew onboard.  The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a scheduled domestic passenger flight from DTW to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), Morrisville, North Carolina.  During pushback, the tug driver informed the flight crew they were cleared to start.  After the left engine was started, the airplane started to unexpectedly move forward.  Both flight crew members were focused inside the cockpit, running checklists, when the tug driver asked if the brake was set on the airplane.  The captain responded "no" and the first officer then noticed the position of the tug and told the captain that they needed to stop the airplane.  The airplane struck the tug before stopping.   After the airplane's brake was set, the flight crew noticed that the engine throttles were not at idle as expected.  Ground conditions were reported as slippery. The tug struck the right forward lower fuselage causing damage to the pressure vessel (skin, stringers, and frames).

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.