- Date
- March 8, 2017, 14:55 local (19:55 UTC)
- Place
- Ypsilanti, MI
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 115 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N786TWMcdonnell Douglas MD80
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Flight control sys malf/fail
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 6, 2019
- Report
- Board-adopted at Board Meeting
- Investigation class
- Class 1
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Parties
- FAA, Boeing, ameristar
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 20170308005569A
- Case key
- 94839
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the jammed condition of the airplane's right elevator, which resulted from exposure to localized, dynamic wind while the airplane was parked and rendered the airplane unable to rotate during takeoff. Contributing to the accident were (1) the effect of a large structure on the gusting surface wind at the airplane's parked location, which led to turbulent gust loads on the right elevator sufficient to jam it, even though the horizontal surface wind speed was below the certification design limit and maintenance inspection criteria for the airplane, and (2) the lack of a means to enable the flight crew to detect a jammed elevator during preflight checks for the Boeing MD-83 airplane. Contributing to the survivability of the accident was the captain's timely and appropriate decision to reject the takeoff, the check airman's disciplined adherence to standard operating procedures after the captain called for the rejected takeoff, and the dimensionally compliant runway safety area where the overrun occurred.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/aviation.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-19/01. On March 8, 2017, about 1452 eastern standard time, Ameristar Air Cargo, Inc., dba Ameristar Charters, flight 9363, a Boeing MD-83 airplane, N786TW, overran the departure end of runway 23L at Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti, Michigan, after the captain executed a rejected takeoff. The 110 passengers and 6 flight crewmembers (two airline transport pilots and four flight attendants) evacuated the airplane via emergency escape slides. One passenger received a minor injury, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as an on-demand charter flight and was destined for Washington Dulles International Airport, Dulles, Virginia. Visual flight rules conditions prevailed at YIP at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/aviation.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-19/01. On March 8, 2017, about 1452 eastern standard time, Ameristar Air Cargo, Inc., dba Ameristar Charters, flight 9363, a Boeing MD-83 airplane, N786TW, overran the departure end of runway 23L at Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti, Michigan, after the captain executed a rejected takeoff. The 110 passengers and 6 flight crewmembers (two airline transport pilots and four flight attendants) evacuated the airplane via emergency escape slides. One passenger received a minor injury, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as an on-demand charter flight and was destined for Washington Dulles International Airport, Dulles, Virginia. Visual flight rules conditions prevailed at YIP at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N786TW
- Reported as
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD80 (80)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 53123
- Built
- 1992
- Airframe hours
- 41,008.6
- Engines
- Pratt And Whitney JT8D-219, turbo jetPratt And Whitney JT8D-219, turbo jet
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Ameristar Air Cargo, Inc., doing business as Ameristar and Ameristar Charters
- Registered owner
- Sierra American Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- December 30, 2016
- Departed
- KYIP · Ypsilanti, MI
- Destination
- KIAD · Chantilly, VA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- KYIP · Willow Run International Airpo, runway 23L, 7,543 × 161 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Check pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 31, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 8,660 total · 683 in this make and model · 7,240 as pilot in command · 50.4 in the last 90 days · 19.1 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 4, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 15,518 total · 4,596 in this make and model · 4,752 as pilot in command · 68 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 35 knots, gusting 50
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Observed at
- KYIP
Docket · 60
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 11, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 122 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.