# Incident 19971016042089I: Doug DC951, Madison, WI, October 16, 1997

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 16, 1997, 06:58 local time
- Place: Madison, WI
- Airport: Dane Co Regional-Truax Field
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: NWAA
- Location: 43.1399° N, 89.3375° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at DANE COUNTY RGNL/TRUAX FLD (MSN), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1399&lon=-89.3375&mi=10
- Aircraft: N787NC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N787NC-2014-06-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-51 (registry code 3022051, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-dc-9-51) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17 series (registry code 52049, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-17-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOUG DC951
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 10,649 total, 8,649 in this make and model, 189 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971016042089I

## Narrative

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

NARRATIVE: MAINTENANCE AT CHICAGO (ORD) DEFERRED THE AUTOSPOILER SYSTEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPROVED NWAA M.E.L. AND ACCOMPLISHED THE ASSOCIATED "MAINTENANCE" ACTION OF SECURING THE AUTOSPOILER ACTUATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER IN THE "OPEN" POSITION. HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC OPENED THE WRONG BREAKER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AUTOSPOILER ACTUATOR OVERHEATED CAUSING THE SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON OCTOBER 16, 1997, AT 0658 CDT A DOUGLAS DC9-51, N787NC, MADE AN UNSCHEDULED EMERGENCY LANDING AT MADISON, WI DUE TO SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT, THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PASSENGERS AND CREW MEMBERS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A SCHEDULED COMMERCIAL FLIGHT BY NORTHWEST AIRLINES UNDER 14 CFR PART 121 WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN CHICAGO-O'HARE AND WAS ENROUTE TO MINNEAPOLIS, MN. AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED BUT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

## Other reports on N787NC (5)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19991010038949I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991010038949I), Oct 10, 1999: Doug DC951 (N787NC), Sioux Falls, SD, Minor damage. From the flight crew air safety report: "loud thump on approach to fsd 4600', 230 KTS, clean configuration, possibly goose hit radome. Blood, guts, and…
- [Incident 19990911028349I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990911028349I), Sep 11, 1999: Doug DC951 (N787NC), Buffalo, NY. (-23) On Saturday, September 11, 1999, during climb from buf bound for dtw, northwest airlines flight 1125'S flight attendant reported smoke and a burning…
- [Incident 19881115063629I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19881115063629I), Nov 15, 1988: Doug DC9 (N787NC), Albany, NY. Smoke from left wheel while gate parking. Called fire equipment. Leaking brake line spilled fluid on hot brake.
- [Incident 19851106061469I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19851106061469I), Nov 6, 1985: Doug DC9 (N787NC), Orlando, FL. Electrical smoke odor after takeoff. Returned for landing and found rear lavatory water heater had overheated.
- [Incident 19811022075389I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19811022075389I), Oct 22, 1981: Doug DC9 (N787NC), Detroit, MI. Experienced fire while starting left engine. No cause found. No damage found.

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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