- Date
- April 9, 1999, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Dubuque, IA
- Injuries
- 91 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N205MEMcDonnell Douglas DC-9-32
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 46167
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
the frozen elevator control. Factors to the incident were the rain and the low temperature.
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.
Analysis
The airplane departed in rain with a surface temperature of 39 degrees Fahrenheit. Upon reaching cruise altitude, the flight crew discovered that the elevator control '...was found to be frozen and would not move.' The pilot said that the aircraft was flown using primary and alternate trim until a descent was made to 'warmer air', and the '... elevator thawed out...' and normal control was regained. An inspection of the aircraft after the incident failed to reveal any anomalies with respect or the aircraft or aircraft systems. On two other occasions, Midwest Express Airlines (MWEA) DC9 aircraft have experienced elevator control difficulties. On these occurrences, the aircraft departed in rain with temperatures of 46 degrees Fahrenheit and 39 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. On one of the occurrences, MWEA maintenance personnel found ice accretions in the elevator control bay of the vertical stabilizer.
Factual narrative
On April 9, 1999, approximately 0930 central daylight time, a McDonnel Douglas DC9-32, N205ME, operated by Midwest Express Airlines, Inc. (MWEA), experienced a loss of elevator control while in cruise flight near Dubuque, Iowa. The 14 CFR Part 121 flight departed General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at 0920, enroute to Eppley Airfield, Omaha, Nebraska. The flight crew piloted the aircraft using the elevator trim system until regaining elevator control after descent. The airplane landed at Eppley Airfield without further incident. There were no reported injuries to the 6 crew members or to the 85 passengers.
The pilot stated that the aircraft departed General Mitchell International Airport in "moderate wind driven rain." The pilot said that when the aircraft was leveled off, after climb, the elevator control "...was found to be frozen and would not move." The pilot further stated that when a descent was made to "warmer air", the "... elevator thawed out..." and normal control was regained.
A weather report for General Mitchell International Airport, MKE, at 0856, showed a temperature of 39 degrees Fahrenheit, rain, mist, and winds from 030 degrees magnetic at 20 knots gusting to 28 knots.
An inspection of the aircraft after the incident failed to reveal any anomalies with respect or the aircraft or aircraft systems.
On two other occasions, MWEA DC9 aircraft experienced elevator control difficulties. On these occurrences, the aircraft departed in rain with temperatures of 46 degrees Fahrenheit and 39 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. On one of the occurrences, MWEA maintenance personnel found ice accretions in the elevator control bay of the vertical stabilizer (Reference: CHI99IA115).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N205ME
- Reported as
- McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 47601
- Airframe hours
- 44,776
- Engine
- P&W JT8D-9A, 14,500 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- Midwest Express Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · February 1, 1999 · 646 hours before
- Departed
- MKE · Milwaukee, WI
- Destination
- OMA · Omaha, NE
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 17,000 total · 8,000 in this make and model · 15,000 as pilot in command · 240 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 17 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MKE