DCA85AA013

NTSB accident investigation · McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15 · Philadelphia, PA · February 6, 1985

Accident · Serious injuriesFinal report
Date
February 5, 1985, 23:51 local (Feb 6, 1985, 04:51 UTC)
Place
Philadelphia, PA
Injuries
2 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N926AXMcDonnell Douglas DC-9-15
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Major Investigations Division
FAA report
19850205077839A
Case key
15829

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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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.

Loss of control - in flightTakeoff - initial climb
Weather condition - rainFactor
Weather condition - snowFactor
Weather condition - icing conditionsFactor
Light condition - dark nightFactor
Wing - iceCause
Ice/frost removal from aircraft - not performedPilot in commandCause
Visual/aural detectionPilot in commandFactor
Stall - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanicalTakeoff - initial climb
Aborted takeoff - initiatedPilot in command
In flight collision with terrain/waterTakeoff
On ground/water collision with objectOther

Analysis

After lndg, the acft was parked on the ramp for aprx 39 min to load cargo. Drg that time, lgt freezing drizzle was falling, intermittently mixed with ice pellets & snw. The crew checked the acft surfaces from the cockpit & entry door, but observed no ice or snw adhering to the tops of the wings, nose section, windshield or above the door. The capt declined an offer to de-ice, tho otr acft were being de-iced. The takeoff was nrml (18 deg nose up attitude) until just after lift-off, then the acft entered an uncommanded l roll & both engs compressor stalled. The capt corrected with l aileron & rudder, then began aborting the takeoff. The acft touched dwn left of the rwy on the tail skid & r wing tip,aprx 5600' from the threshold & on a 070 deg hdg. It then traveled another 2025' in a sweeping right arc, hitting 2 rwy signs & came to rest hdg west with the r pylon bent down. Inv revealed a thin layer of ice (EST 0.15' thick) would have been on the wings, raising the acft's stall speed. When DC-9-15 acft stall, engs are susceptible to compressor stalls.

Aircraft

Registration
N926AX
Reported as
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15
Category
Airplane
Serial number
47002
Engine
P&W JT8D-7, 14,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Part 121
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Transport
Departed
PHL
Destination
ILN · Wilmington, OH
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
PHL · Philadelphia Intl, runway 9L, 9,500 × 150 ft, concrete

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
40
Certificate
Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
7,500 total · 1,800 in this make and model · 41 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
Wind
60° at 9 knots
Visibility
2 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
1,000 ft overcast
Temperature
28 °F, dew point 25 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
PHL

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.