What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)Upon arrival in Memphis the aircraft was found to have wrinkling damage to the outboard elevators and elevator counter weights. The flightcrew reported they had no turbulence or other events during the flight that would have caused the damage. Readout of the 25 hours of data contained on the digital flight data recorder (dfdr) did not show any events that would have caused the damage. Examination of the elevators showed no material defects or preexisting damage. The aircraft manufacturer stated they have seen similar damage to elevators caused by stall buffet at high altitude or high speed buffet at high altitude. The aircraft received an 'a' check while on the ground prior to departure for Memphis and no discrepancies with the elevators were noted. The flight engineer reported that he did notice any discrepancies with the elevators during preflight inspection on the flight to Memphis. (-23) on April 9, about 0016 CDT, DC-10-30F N310FE, operated by federal express as flight 14 from san juan to Memphis was found to have damage to both elevators on arrival at Memphis. The aircraft sustained substantial damag e but no one was injured. The flight crew for the flight from san juan to Memphis reported the flight was uneventful. Maintenance personnel observed the damaged elevators during a postflight walk around. FAA inspectors found the top and bottom skins of both elevators were wrinkled and the elevator counterweights were still in place. The digital flight data recorder was removed and sent to the NTSB. The tapes were read and no significant event was found.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)UPON ARRIVAL IN MEMPHIS THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND TO HAVE WRINKLING DAMAGE TO THE OUTBOARD ELEVATORS AND ELEVATOR COUNTER WEIGHTS. THE FLIGHTCREW REPORTED THEY HAD NO TURBULENCE OR OTHER EVENTS DURING THE FLIGHT THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE DAMAGE. READOUT OF THE 25 HOURS OF DATA CONTAINED ON THE DIGITAL FLIGHT DATA RECORDER (DFDR) DID NOT SHOW ANY EVENTS THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE DAMAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE ELEVATORS SHOWED NO MATERIAL DEFECTS OR PREEXISTING DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER STATED THEY HAVE SEEN SIMILAR DAMAGE TO ELEVATORS CAUSED BY STALL BUFFET AT HIGH ALTITUDE OR HIGH SPEED BUFFET AT HIGH ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED AN 'A' CHECK WHILE ON THE GROUND PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOR MEMPHIS AND NO DISCREPANCIES WITH THE ELEVATORS WERE NOTED. THE FLIGHT ENGINEER REPORTED THAT HE DID NOTICE ANY DISCREPANCIES WITH THE ELEVATORS DURING PREFLIGHT INSPECTION ON THE FLIGHT TO MEMPHIS. (-23) ON APRIL 9, ABOUT 0016 CDT, DC-10-30F N310FE, OPERATED BY FEDERAL EXPRESS AS FLIGHT 14 FROM SAN JUAN TO MEMPHIS WAS FOUND TO HAVE DAMAGE TO BOTH ELEVATORS ON ARRIVAL AT MEMPHIS. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAG E BUT NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE FLIGHT CREW FOR THE FLIGHT FROM SAN JUAN TO MEMPHIS REPORTED THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL. MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL OBSERVED THE DAMAGED ELEVATORS DURING A POSTFLIGHT WALK AROUND. FAA INSPECTORS FOUND THE TOP AND BOTTOM SKINS OF BOTH ELEVATORS WERE WRINKLED AND THE ELEVATOR COUNTERWEIGHTS WERE STILL IN PLACE. THE DIGITAL FLIGHT DATA RECORDER WAS REMOVED AND SENT TO THE NTSB. THE TAPES WERE READ AND NO SIGNIFICANT EVENT WAS FOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.