# Accident 20070518014589A: Doug DC931, Buffalo, NY, May 18, 2007 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 18, 2007, 13:20 local time - Place: Buffalo, NY - Airport: Buffalo Niagara International - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops - Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121) - Operator: NWAA - Location: 43.1111° N, 76.1064° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1111&lon=-76.1064&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1799U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1799U-2010-08-11) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Douglas DC-9-31 (registry code 3022065, https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-dc-9-31) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-5 (registry code 52046, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-5) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DOUG DC931 - Reported engine: PWA JT8D5 - People aboard: 99 - Fatal injuries: 0 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC07LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC07LA121) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070518014589A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON MAY 18, 2007, AT 1320 EST, A NORTHWEST AIRLINES, DC-9-31, FLIGHT 1411, N1799U EXPERIENCED A CABIN PRESSURIZATION PROBLEM DURING CLIMB AFTER DEPARTING FROM SYRACUSE HANCOCK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, SYRACUSE, NY (SYR) TO DETROIT, MI. ACCORDING TO THE FAA CERTIFICATE MANAGEMENT OFFICE FOR NORTHWEST AIRLINES THE AIRPLANE WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 19,000 FEET MSL AFTER DEPARTURE FROM SYR WHEN THE FLIGHT CREW HEARD A "LOUD POP" AND THE CABIN DEPRESSURIZED. THE FLIGHT CREW INITIATED AN EMERGENCY DESCENT TO 10,000 FEET. AFTER REACHING 10,000 FEET THE FLIGHT CREW DIVERTED INTO THE BUFFALO-NIAGARA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, BUFFALO, NY (BUF). AFTER THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IT WAS INSPECTED BY THE ARFF, IT WAS RELEASED TO CONTINUED TAXI TO THE GATE. THE POST FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED A 12 INCH BY 5 INCH FUSELAGE SKIN TEAR, FORWARD OF THE FORWARD CARGO DOOR. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION A CREASE IN THE SKIN OF THE FUSELAGE FORWARD OF THE TEAR INDICATING THE SKIN BEING DAMAGED BY A FOREIGN OBJECT. COMPANY MAINTENANCE FLEW INTO BUF AND PUT A TEMPORARY REPAIR ON THE FUSELAGE SKIN IN ORDER TO FERRY TO A MAINTENANCE FACILITY FOR A PERMANENT REPAIR. A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE SYR NOTHWEST AIRLINES STATION MANAGER (SM) REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: ON MAY 18, 2007, THE SM STATED THAT HE WAS IN A MEETING WHEN HE HEARD ABOUT FLIGHT 1411 DIVERTING INTO BUF DUE TO A PRESSURIZATION PROBLEM AROUND 1 PM. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO CONTACT THE CONTRACT RAMP PERSONNEL WHO WORKED THE FLIGHT. THERE WERE TWO, ONE A TUG DRIVER AND ANOTHER THAT ASSISTED. THE BELT LOADER WAS PARKED BY THE FORWARD CARGO BIN AND UPON THE COMPLETION OF ON LOADING PASSENGER BAGS THEY TRIED TO START THE BELT LOADER, BUT IT DIED. IN ORDER TO MOVE THE BELT LOADER ONE OF THE RAMP PERSONNEL GOT THE TUG AND POSITIONED THE TUG BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT AND THE BELT LOADER. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO GET THE BELT LOADER OUT OF THE WAY FOR THE AIRCRAFT TO DEPART. THE DRIVER OF THE TUG TOLD THE SM HE HAD NO IDEA ABOUT A SKIN TEAR. THE SM SAID HE INSPECTED THE TUG, AND DISCOVERED THAT "THE PAINT ON THE ROOF OF THE TUG MATCHED THE PAINT OF THE AIRCRAFT WHERE THE SKIN TEAR OCCURRED." HE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE TUG DRIVER AND THE OTHER RAMP PERSON, BUT THEY BOTH DENIED ANY SORT OF DAMAGE OR SEEING A TEAR OF THE FUSELAGE SKIN. THE SM CONTACTED TEH AIR WISCONSIN MANAGER (RAMP CONTRACTOR) TO INFORM HIM ABOUT THE GROUND INCIDENT WITH TWO OF HIS EMPLOYEES. THEY WERE BOTH REMOVED IMMEDIATELY FROM THEIR DUTIES, AND AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION FIRED FROM AIR WISCONSIN. THE AIRCRAFT SKIN TEAR WAS REPAIRED WITHIN A FEW DAYS AND THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED BACK TO SERVICE. ## 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 NYC07LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC07LA121), May 18, 2007: Douglas DC-9-31 (N1799U), Syracuse, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The senior ground agent's failure to follow written procedures and directives. ## Other reports on N1799U (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20060707021639I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060707021639I), Jul 7, 2006: Doug DC931 (N1799U), Rochester, NY. (-23) The nwaa maintenance log book page #3705980 stated the following entry from company maintenance. Discrepancy: station employee reports smoke in cabin at… - [Incident 19820919065199I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19820919065199I), Sep 19, 1982: Doug DC931 (N1799U), Milwaukee, WI. Jet blast blew out window in terminal as aircraft used engine thrust to leave gate. One person injured - [Incident 19780812037549I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780812037549I), Aug 12, 1978: Doug DC9 (N1799U), St Louis, MO. APU generator failed in flight, cause undetermined. 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. --- 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.