# Accident 20230324009019A: Mcdonnell Douglas Aircraft Co MD-88, Saltillo, March 24, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 24, 2023, 11:17 local time
- Place: Saltillo
- Airport: Plan De Guadalupe Internationa
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: Y2PA
- Location: 25.5495° N, 100.9290° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.5495&lon=-100.9290&mi=10
- Aircraft: N834US, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N834US) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88 (registry code 3023688, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-md-88) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney JT8D series (registry code 52053, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT CO MD-88
- Reported engine: P & W JT8D SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 156 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DCA23LA232](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA23LA232) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230324009019A

## Narrative

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

THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD-88 (SF), PERFORMING FLIGHT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT LANDED HARD DURING NIGHT VISUAL CONDITIONS AT SALTILLO-PLAN DE GUADALUPE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SLW/MMIO).

THE CAPTAIN WAS PILOT MONITORING AND THE FIRST OFFICER WAS PILOT FLYING. THE CREW BELIEVED THEY HAD A HARD LANDING BUT OBSERVED THE TAIL BUMPER TAB HORIZONTAL (INDICATING NO TAIL STRIKE) AND AFTER DISCUSSING WITH MAINTENANCE CONTROL, THEY CONTINUED FLIGHT TO CANADA AND BACK TO YIP.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A WALK AROUND AT YIP. FDR ANALYSIS INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED A PEAK VERTICAL LOAD OF 3.24G ON LANDING AND BOUNCED WITH A PEAK PITCH ANGLE OF 8.44 DEGREES. THIS LANDING WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE OCCURRED IN SALTILLO, MX.

THE TAIL BUMBER HAS BEEN REMOVED AND SENT TO BOEING FOR ANALYSIS ON WHY IT DID NOT FLAG THE TAIL STRIKE.

CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS PROVIDED UNDER THE ASAP PROGRAM BY THE ERC.

## 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 DCA23LA232](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA23LA232), Mar 24, 2023: Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88 (N834US), Saltillo, Mexico, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for a wind shift while on short final approach which resulted in a higher than normal sink rate and a tailstrike.

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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