# NTSB CHI00IA087: McDonnell Douglas DC9-32, N203ME, Milwaukee, WI, January 31, 2000 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: January 31, 2000, 16:45 local (22:45 UTC) - Place: Milwaukee, WI - Location: 42.9469° N, 87.8971° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at GENERAL MITCHELL INTL (MKE), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.9469&lon=-87.8971&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 91 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 2, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 48722 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI00IA087 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/48722/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI00IA087 ## Probable cause the chafing of the internal water heater wire. A factor was the missing ground strap. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, standing - electrical system,electric wiring - chafed (cause) - electrical system,electric wiring - not installed (contributing factor) ## Analysis During passenger boarding the flight crew was advised of smoke coming from the passenger lavatory. The flight crew instructed the flight attendants to evacuate the aircraft. All passengers and crew members exited normally. Inspection of the aircraft following the incident revealed that wiring internal to the water heater was discolored and melted adjacent to a terminal within the unit. The wire exhibited evidence of chaffing in the area next to the terminal screw. Additionally, it was found that the water heater installation was missing a grounding strap. The Federal Aviation Administration Inspector in conjunction with Midwest Express personnel determined that the missing grounding strap prevented the circuit breaker for the water heater from tripping. Subsequent to the incident, Midwest Express Airlines has inspected their DC9 aircraft to insure that the ground strap is present. ## Factual narrative On January 31, 2000, at 1645 central standard time, a McDonnell Douglas DC9-32, N203ME, operated by Midwest Express Airlines as flight 107, received minor damage during passenger boarding at the General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121. No injuries were reported. It is not known how many passengers had boarded the aircraft at the time of the incident. The intended destination was the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, Atlanta, Georgia. During passenger boarding the flight crew was advised of smoke coming from the passenger lavatory. The flight crew instructed the flight attendants to evacuate the aircraft. All passengers and crew members exited normally. Inspection of the aircraft following the incident revealed that wiring internal to the water heater was discolored and melted adjacent to a terminal within the unit. The wire exhibited evidence of chafing in the area next to the terminal screw. Additionally, it was found that the water heater installation was missing a grounding strap. The Federal Aviation Administration Inspector in conjunction with Midwest Express personnel determined that the missing grounding strap prevented the circuit breaker for the water heater from tripping. Subsequent to the incident, Midwest Express Airlines has inspected their DC9 aircraft to insure that the ground strap is present. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N203ME](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N203ME-2005-01-21), registration cancelled 2005-01-21, S/N 47673, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: McDonnell Douglas DC9-32 - Registry model: [Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-dc-9-32) (registry code 302206C) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-9-series) (registry code 52048, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 47673 - Airframe hours: 60977 - Engines: P&W JT8D-9A 14500 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: Midwest Express Airlines - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, December 14, 1999, 77 hours before - Departed: MKE - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: MKE, General Mitchell Intl Apt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 14,932 total, 9,830 in this make and model, 10,734 as pilot in command, 180 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Not reported ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20000131003209I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000131003209I), Jan 31, 2000: Doug DC932, Milwaukee, WI, Minor damage. On January 31, 2000 N203ME, a DC-9-32, srtial number 47673, operated by midwest express airlines, mwea, was boarding passengers for a scheduled departure of… 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. --- 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.