DCA85AA036

NTSB accident investigation · Douglas DC-9-14 · Milwaukee, WI · September 6, 1985

Accident · FatalFinal report
Date
September 6, 1985, 15:21 local (20:21 UTC)
Place
Milwaukee, WI
Injuries
31 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N100MEDouglas DC-9-14
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Board-adopted at Board Meeting
NTSB office
Major Investigations Division
Safety recommendations
Yes
FAA report
19850906077659A
Case key
15838

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

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.

Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malfTakeoff - initial climb
Compressor assembly - fatigueFactor
Loss of control - in flightTakeoff
Flight controls - improper use ofPilot in commandCause
Crew/group coordination - improperFactor
Emergency procedure - improperCause
Stall - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

The Safety Board's full report on this investigation is provided as Aviation Accident Report number AAR-87/01. 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

Drg takeoff, the acft (midwest express flt 105) was climbing thru about 450' AGL when there was a loud noise as the rgt eng failed. Shortly thereafter, the acft entered a steep dscnt & crashed in an aprx 90 deg, rgt wing low, attitude. An inv revealed that the 9th to 10th stage, hi pressure compressor spacer in the rgt eng had failed. There was evidence thefailure was precipitated by a fatigue crack in 1 of the 2 knife edges on the spacer. Initially, correct (left) rudder response was used to compensate for the loss of power in the rgt eng, but about 4 to 5 sec later, rgt rudder deflection occurred. Aprx 10 sec after the rgt eng failed, the acft stalled & went out of control. Also, about 1.5 sec after the initial rgt eng failure, there was a reduction in the left eng's RPM, & subsequently, the eng compressor stalled after the acft went out of control & was dscndg in an unusual attitude. However, the reduction of power in the left eng was not considered significant to the loss of control. Neither plt verbally identified the emerg condition drg the sequence.

Aircraft

Registration
N100ME
Reported as
Douglas DC-9-14
Category
Airplane
Serial number
47309
Airframe hours
31,892
Engine
P&W JT8D-7B, 14,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Part 121
Registered owner
Midwest Express Airlines,Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Transport
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · September 4, 1985 · 18 hours before
Departed
MKE
Destination
ATL · Atlanta, GA
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
MKE · General Mitchell Field, runway 19R, 9,690 × 200 ft, concrete

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
31
Certificates
Commercial, Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
5,085 total · 1,085 in this make and model · 212 in the last 90 days · 77 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
210° at 16 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
90 °F, dew point 75 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
MKE

FAA reports on this event · 1

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