What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 31, 2002 a mcdonnel Douglas MD-11 was enroute from atlanta, Georgia to london, united kingdom, when the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at the Charlotte, north carolina due to a number 2 engine fire indication. An emergency evacuation of 245 passengers and crew was conducted. During the evacuation the forward right (R1) escape slide failed to properly deploy by inflating inside the cabin. The malfunctioned slide partially blocked the exit and obstructed the egress of the cockpit flight crew. During cockpit egress the crew believed the flight attendant was trapped under the inflated side, and punctured it with the crash ax. Twelve (12) passengers were transported to a local hospital, with five (5) receiving treatment for broken bones.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 31, 2002 A MCDONNEL DOUGLAS MD-11 WAS ENROUTE FROM ATLANTA, GEORGIA TO LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT THE CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA DUE TO A NUMBER 2 ENGINE FIRE INDICATION. AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION OF 245 PASSENGERS AND CREW WAS CONDUCTED. DURING THE EVACUATION THE FORWARD RIGHT (R1) ESCAPE SLIDE FAILED TO PROPERLY DEPLOY BY INFLATING INSIDE THE CABIN. THE MALFUNCTIONED SLIDE PARTIALLY BLOCKED THE EXIT AND OBSTRUCTED THE EGRESS OF THE COCKPIT FLIGHT CREW. DURING COCKPIT EGRESS THE CREW BELIEVED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS TRAPPED UNDER THE INFLATED SIDE, AND PUNCTURED IT WITH THE CRASH AX. TWELVE (12) PASSENGERS WERE TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL, WITH FIVE (5) RECEIVING TREATMENT FOR BROKEN BONES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.