# NTSB DCA85AA031: Lockheed L-1011-385-1, N726DA, Dallas/Ft Worth, TX, August 2, 1985 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Final report - Date: August 2, 1985, 18:06 local (23:06 UTC) - Place: Dallas/Ft Worth, TX - Location: 32.8972° N, 97.0377° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at DALLAS-FORT WORTH INTL (DFW), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8972&lon=-97.0377&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 135 fatal, 15 serious, 13 minor, 2 uninjured; on the ground: 1 fatal, 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Board-adopted at Board Meeting - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Safety recommendations: Yes - NTSB case key (mKey): 15836 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA85AA031 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15836/pdf - Board report AAR8605 (PDF): https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR8605.pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA85AA031 ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr) - weather condition - thunderstorm (contributing factor) - in flight weather avoidance assistance - inadequate (contributing factor) - inadequate surveillance,insufficient staff, faa(organization) (contributing factor) - weather condition - lightning (contributing factor) - flight advisories - not issued, pilot of other aircraft (contributing factor) - weather condition - rain (contributing factor) - weather condition - windshear (contributing factor) - weather condition - unfavorable wind (contributing factor) - weather condition - downdraft (contributing factor) - flight into known adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (cause) - procedure inadequate, company/operator management (cause) - inadequate training(emergency procedure(s)), company/operator management (cause) - go-around - initiated - In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr) - On ground/water collision with object, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr) - object - vehicle (contributing factor) - object - airport facility (contributing factor) ## Analysis The Safety Board's full report on this investigation is provided as Aviation Accident Report number AAR-86/05. To obtain a copy of this report, or to view the executive summary online, please see the Web site at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/publictn.htm PSBL SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS (TSTMS) WERE FORCAST & DRG ARRIVAL, SVRL CELLS WERE DEVELOPING IN THE AREA. DELTA FLT 191 WAS VECTORED ARND A LARGE CELL, THEN WAS SEQUENCED BHND OTHER ACFT & CLRD FOR AN ILS RWY 17L APCH. THE FLT CREW & SVRL PRECEEDING CREWS SAW LIGHTNING IN A CELL NORTH OF THE ARPT, BUT CONTD W/O RPRTG IT. ON THE APCH, FLT 191 ENCOUNTERED A MICROBURST WHILE PASSING UNDER THE CELL. INITIALLY, THE 1ST OFFICER, WHO WAS FLYING THE ACFT, RETARDED THE THROTTLES IN A HEADWIND. THE ACFT THEN ENCOUNTERED APRX 73 KTS OF WINDSHEAR, UP/DWNDFTS, VORTEX FLOW & A TAILWIND. GO-AROUND PWR WAS APPLIED, BUT THE ACFT STRUCK THE GND APRX 6300' NORTH OF RWY 17L, HIT A CAR & 2 WATER TANKS, BROKE APART & BURNED. INV REVEALED THAT BTN 1752 & 1800 CDT, THE TSTM CELL GREW FM VIP LVL 1 TO VIP LVL 4. A CENTER WX SVC UNIT METEOROLOGIST WAS ON DUTY, BUT NOT AT THE RADAR PSN AT THAT TIME & DIDN'T OBSV THE CELL GROWTH. CAPT'S DECISION TO CONT APCH DIDN'T COMPLYWITH DELTA'S WX AVOIDANCE PROC; THERE WAS A LACK OF SPECIFIC GUIDANCE & TRAINING FOR AVOIDING/ESCAPING LOW ALT WNDSHEAR. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N726DA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N726DA-1986-01-23), registration cancelled 1986-01-23, S/N 193C-1163 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LOCKHEED L-1011-385-1 (L-1011-385) - Registry model: [Lockheed L-1011-385-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/lockheed-l-1011-385-1) (registry code 5265010) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 193C-1163 - Engines: ROLLS-ROYCE RB-211-22B 41030 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: Delta Airlines, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: FLL, FT. LAUDERDALE, FL - Destination: DFW - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: DFW, Dallas/Fort Worth Intl, runway 17L, 11,388 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 29,300 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 166 in the last 90 days, 81 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Temperature: 100 °F, dew point -0 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: DFW, 2 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19850802077519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850802077519A), Aug 2, 1985: Lkheed 10113851, Dallas-Fort Wor, TX, Destroyed, 132 fatal. Penetrated a thunderstorm on final. Failed to recover from severe windshear. Struck a car and a water tank. ## Other investigations on N726DA (1) 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. - [NTSB MIA81IA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA81IA103), Aug 10, 1981: Lockheed L-1011 (N726DA), Ft.Lauderdale, FL, incident, minor damage 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.