# N973VJ: 1967 Douglas DC-9-31, registration cancelled 2003-07-17 - Type: Cancelled registration (FAA registry, deregistered aircraft) - Cancelled: July 17, 2003 - Status when cancelled: Triennial form not returned - Airframe: [Douglas DC-9-31](https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-dc-9-31) (registry code 3022065) - Engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-9-series) (registry code 52048) - Data sheets: [TCDS A6WE](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A6WE), [TCDS E2EA](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/E2EA) (OpenAirDocs) - Serial number: 47099 - Year built: 1967 - Type of aircraft: Fixed wing multi engine - Engine type: Turbo-jet - Airworthiness: Standard - Airworthiness date: November 11, 1967 - Certificate issued: April 2, 1986 - Last registry action: April 15, 2003 - Mode S code: AD90AE - Owner when cancelled: [US Airways Inc](https://openairdocs.org/faa-owner/US%20AIRWAYS%20INC) - Location: [Arlington, VA](https://openairdocs.org/faa-place/VA/Arlington) - Owner type: Corporation - Owner's area on the map: 38.8783° N, 77.1007° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Arlington, VA, within about 3 miles (OpenAirDocs). The owner's mailing address, not where the aircraft was based - The mark today: https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N973VJ - FAA registry: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=973VJ - Page: https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N973VJ-2003-07-17 From the FAA registry file of October 29, 2026, cancelled registrations. Owners' street addresses are left out. The Mode S code belongs to the N-number, not the airframe. ADs and bulletins for the Douglas DC-9-31: https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-dc-9-31.md ## Service difficulty reports (20) Matched to this aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model. - [SDR USAAD99147](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD99147), Oct 8, 1999: BATTERY. DISCHARGED. IND - THE FORWARD CABIN EMERGENCY LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. MAINTENANCE REPLACED THE FORWARD CABIN EMERGENCY LIGHT BATTERIES. (M) - [SDR USAADD99114](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAADD99114), Aug 17, 1999: BATTERY. DISCHARGED. IND - THE MAIN ENTRANCE DOOR SLIDE ACTIVATED EMERGENCY LIGHT WAS DIM. MAINTENANCE REPLACED THE EMERGENCY LIGHT BATTERY. (M) - [SDR USAAD99062](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD99062), May 4, 1999: BATTERY. DISCHARGED. DTW - FOUND AFT LOW LEVEL EMERGENCY LIGHTS DIM. REPLACED BATTERY PACK. (M) - [SDR USAA990066](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAA990066), Jan 30, 1999: DOUBLER. CORRODED. PIT - DURING C-6 CHECK, FOUND .5 INCH RADIUS OF CORROSION AROUND ACCESS HOLES ON SKIN EXTERNAL DOUBLER FORWARD CARGO DOOR LOWER STOPS. REPLACED DEFECTIVE PART W - [SDR USAA990065](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAA990065), Jan 27, 1999: FRAME. CRACKED. PIT - DURING C-6 CHECK, FOUND .75 INCH CRACK RT FUSELAGE MAIN FRAME FS 718. INSTALLED BATHTUB FITTING AND PLATE PER TYPICAL REPAIR 53-10-15A. (M) - [SDR USAAD98026](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD98026), Feb 10, 1998: BATTERY PACK. DISCHARGED. PIT - FLOOR PATH LIGHTING INOPERATIVE FROM ROW 16 TO TAILCONE CATWALK. MAINTENANCE REPLACED FUSE IN THE FLOOR PATH BATTERY PACK. (M) - [SDR USAAD98001](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD98001), Jan 4, 1998: AIR DISTRIBUTION. ODOR. PIT - FLT 942 - AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT REPORTED SMOKE SMELL IN THE LAVATORY. THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE FIELD WITHOUT INCIDENT. MAINTENANCE INSPE - [SDR USAAD97192](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD97192), Oct 31, 1997: COALESCER BAG. DIRTY. DTW - FL 988 - DURING CLIMB-OUT THE LAVATORY SMOKE DETECTORS WENT OFF AND THERE WAS A MIST IN THE CABIN. THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE FIELD. THE CABIN CLEARED W - [SDR USAAD97174](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD97174), Oct 5, 1997: BATTERY. DISCHARGED. IND - TAILCONE SLIDE EMERGENCY LIGHT INOPERATIVE. MAINTENANCE REPAIRED A BROKEN WIRE ON THE BATTERY PACK AND REPLACED THE BATTERY. (M) - [SDR USAAD97173](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD97173), Oct 5, 1997: BATTERIES. DISCHARGED. IND - AFT STAIR EMERGENCY LIGHTS INOPERATIVE. MAINTENANCE REPLACED THE BATTERIES. (M) - [SDR USAAD97138](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD97138), Aug 18, 1997: FITTING. LOOSE. MSP - FL 856 - AFTER TAKEOFF, CRWE RECEIVED INDICATION THAT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS NOT SAFE. FLIGHT RETURNED TO MSP AND LANDED WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT - [SDR USAAD97116](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD97116), Jul 9, 1997: COMPASS. OUT OF ADJUST. PHL/MHT - FLT 1010 - AFTER TAKEOFF, BOTH COMPASSES WERE OVER 40 DEGREES OFF OF HWAT ATC SAID ACTUAL HEADING WAS. RETURNED TO FIELD. PERFORMED COMPASS SYSTEM CHE - [SDR USAAD97063](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD97063), Apr 1, 1997: SMOKE DETECTOR. FAILED. FLIGHT 902 - PIT-BWI - AFTER TAKEOFF THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT REPORTED THAT THE AFT LAV SMOKE DETECTOR WAS SOUNDING AND THER WAS ALSO A 'SCORCHED' SMELL IN THE AREA - [SDR USAAD97050](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD97050), Mar 8, 1997: SMOKE DETECTOR. FAILED. FLT 1578 - PIT-PHL - RIGHT AFT LAV SMOKE DETECTORY ACTIVATED DURING CLIMB-OUT. NO INDICATION OF SMOKE OR FIRE REPORTED BY F/A. RETURNED TO FIELD. CHECKED BALLAS - [SDR USAAD97049](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD97049), Mar 8, 1997: SMOKE DETECTOR. FAILED. FLT 1275 - PIT-STL - AFTER ROTATION, BOTH AFT LAV SMOKE DETECTORS SOUNDED FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES, THEN QUIT. RETURNED TO FIELD. CHECKED A/C FOR ANY PROBLEMS RELATE - [SDR USAAD96159](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD96159), Nov 7, 1996: ENGINE. BIRDSTRIKE. FLT 2123 - SYR-CLT - ON CLIMB-OUT AT 500 FEET AGL, INGESTED ONE OR MORE SEAGULLS INTO LEFT ENGINE. LEFT ENGINE EPR WENT FROM 1.95 TO 1.40 AND HAD LIGHT VIBRATIO - [SDR USAAD96156](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAAD96156), Oct 30, 1996: POWER SUPPLY. INOPERATIVE. FORWARD AND AFT OVERWING EMERGENCY DOOR LIGHTS INOPERATIVE. REPLACED BOTH POWER SUPPLIES. (M) - [SDR USAA951250](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAA951250), Dec 8, 1995: ANGLE. CRACKED. PIT - DURING C-3 CHECK INSPECTION, FOUND 1.50 INCH CRACK TOP DRAG ANGLE OF PYLON AT STA 980. INSTALLED DOUBLER REPAIR PER SRM 53-04, FIGURE 10, AND USAIR EA NR - [SDR USAA951249](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAA951249), Dec 8, 1995: PANEL. CORRODED. PIT - DURING C-3 CHECK INSPECTION, FOUND 2 INCH AREA OF CORROSION ON PRESSURE PANEL AT STA 110 RT, 12 INCHES RT OF AIRCRAFT CENTERLINE. INSTALLED DOUBLER REPAIR - [SDR USAA950524](https://openairdocs.org/sdr/USAA950524), May 20, 1995: EEL BATTERIES. DISCHARGED. PIT - THE COCKPIT EMERGENCY LIGHTS WERE FOUND TO BE INOPERATIVE. MAINTENANCE RELAMPED THE LIGHTS AND REPLACED THE BATTERIES IN THE BATTERY PACK NR 1. OPERATIONS ## NTSB investigations (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB CHI86MA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI86MA142), May 17, 1986: Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 (N973VJ), Chicago, IL, incident, minor damage ## FAA accident and incident reports (11) From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [Incident 19961107039259I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961107039259I), Nov 7, 1996: Doug DC931 (N973VJ), Syracuse, NY, Minor damage. Narrative: on November 7, 1996 at 1330 EST a Douglas DC-9, N973VJ, flight 2123, operated by usair, inc., after take-off at 500' AGL, left engine ingested… - [Incident 19901102055539I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19901102055539I), Nov 2, 1990: Doug DC931 (N973VJ), Pittsburgh, PA. Aircraft lost right hydraulic system on climb. Diverted and landed. Ground spoiler bypass valve failed. - [Incident 19890102062599I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890102062599I), Jan 2, 1989: Doug DC931 (N973VJ), Buffalo, NY. Cabin pressurization problem after departure. Returned. Unable to duplicate problem. - [Incident 19881229069359I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19881229069359I), Dec 29, 1988: Doug DC931 (N973VJ), Pittsburgh, PA. Lost pressurization. Deployed masks and descended. Manually controlled pressure. Nose gear ground sense out of rig. - [Incident 19880813043559I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880813043559I), Aug 13, 1988: Doug DC931 (N973VJ), Huntington, WV. Left engine fire caution light came on. Discharged fire bottles. Diverted to hts. No evidence of fire found. - [Incident 19810507031299I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810507031299I), May 7, 1981: Doug DC9 (N973VJ), Baltimore, MD. Right main gear did not indicate down and locked. Aircraft ferried to main base. Found warn system breaker bad. - [Incident 19801115079829I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19801115079829I), Nov 15, 1980: Doug DC931 (N973VJ), Pittsburgh, PA, Minor damage. Aircraft struck a deer just before rotation. Landed safely at destination. - [Incident 19781226020479I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19781226020479I), Dec 26, 1978: Doug DC9 (N973VJ), Pittsburgh, PA. Pilot unable to get gear safe inication diverted, landed safely. Gear down lock switch was faulty. - [Incident 19781030027899I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19781030027899I), Oct 30, 1978: Doug DC9 (N973VJ), Windsor Locks, CT. Left out board tire blew out on landing. - [Incident 19780607044929I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780607044929I), Jun 7, 1978: Doug DC9 (N973VJ), East Boston, MA. Crew heard loud noise in nose gear area. Returned to Boston. A nose gear door cable had broken. - [Incident 19780220007499I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780220007499I), Feb 20, 1978: Doug DC9 (N973VJ), Washington, DC. Pilot diverted flight after experiencing a generator lockout. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.