- Date
- March 27, 1988, 20:20 local (Mar 28, 1988, 01:20 UTC)
- Place
- Detroit, MI
- Injuries
- 24 minor, 131 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N277USBoeing 727-251
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880327023549I
- Case key
- 13991
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Auxiliary power unit - fireCause
Evacuation - improperFactor
PanicFactor
Aircraft
- Registration
- N277US
- Reported as
- Boeing 727-251
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21156
- Airframe hours
- 29,839
- Engine
- P&W JT-8D-15, 14,500 horsepower, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Northwest Airlines
- Registered owner
- Northwest Airlines Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- SAN · San Diego, CA
- Destination
- DTW · Detroit, MI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- DTW · Detroit
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,200 total · 4,200 in this make and model · 210 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 280° at 3 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.