# Accident 19970409045889A: Doug DC1030F, Memphis, TN, April 9, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 9, 1997, 00:16 local time
- Place: Memphis, TN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: FDEA
- Location: 35.0700° N, 89.9897° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0700&lon=-89.9897&mi=10
- Aircraft: N310FE, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N310FE-2009-12-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Douglas DC-10-30F (registry code 3023503, https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-dc-10-30f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: GE CF6-50 series (registry code 30018, https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-cf6-50-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOUG DC1030F
- Reported engine: GE CF650C2
- People aboard: 6
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,148 total, 3,335 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA97LA125](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA125) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970409045889A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (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 MIA97LA125](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA125), Apr 9, 1997: McDonnell Douglas DC10-30F (N310FE), Memphis, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: A stall buffet or a high speed buffet event which occurred at an undetermined time.

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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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