# NTSB DCA85IA001: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30, N965VJ, Erie, PA, October 14, 1984 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: October 14, 1984, 04:09 local (08:09 UTC) - Place: Erie, PA - Coordinates: 42.130844, -80.139595 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1308&lon=-80.1396&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 77 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 15840 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA85IA001 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15840/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA85IA001 ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, landing - flare/touchdown - procedures/directives - not followed, pilot in command - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - weather condition - fog (contributing factor) - weather condition - obscuration (contributing factor) - flight into known adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (contributing factor) - not performed, pilot in command (contributing factor) - self-induced pressure, pilot in command (contributing factor) - company-induced pressure, dispatcher (contributing factor) - pressure induced by others, other person (contributing factor) - airport facilities,runway edge lights - failure,partial (contributing factor) - airport facilities,instrument approach lights - not operating (contributing factor) - miscellaneous equipment - not used, pilot in command (contributing factor) - ifr procedure - not followed, pilot in command (cause) - decision height - disregarded, pilot in command (contributing factor) - missed approach - not performed, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis THE ORIG DESTN WAS YOUNGSTOWN, OH, BUT ITS WX WAS BLO MINS, SO THE FLT TO TRANSPORT A FOOTBALL TEAM WAS PLANNED TO ERIE WHICH WAS SLIGHTLY ABOVE MINS. THE COACH & BUSINESS MANAGER WERE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS, BUT PLANS WERE MADE TO BUS THE TEAM ON TO YOUNGSTOWN. EN ROUTE, THE MANAGER OCCUPIED A JUMPSEAT IN THE COCKPIT IN VIOLATION OF 14 CFR 121. THE WX AT ERIE DETERIORATED TO 100' OBSCD & 1/4 MI VIS WITH FOG. THE CREW ENTERED HOLDING WITHOUT CLNC TO WAIT FOR THE WX TO IMPROVE. THEY ELECTED TO MAKE AN ILS APCH (MINS 200' CIG & 1/2 MI VIS) & LEFT THE HOLDING PATTERN WITHOUT CLNC. AT APRX 2800', RADAR CONTACT WITH ATC WAS LOST, BUT THEY RECEIVED AN ABOVE MINS WX REPORT FM THE STATION AGENT & CONTD THE APCH WITHOUT AN ATC CLNC. THEY DID NOT ACTIVATE THE APCH LGTS. AT THE DH, THE COPLT SAID 'I DON'T HAVE IT', BUT THE CAPT SAW LGTS TO HIS LEFT & CONTD THE LANDING. THE ACFT LANDED ON SOFT GND BESIDE THE RWY & ROLLED TO A STOP WITH MINOR DMG. RWY LGTS AT STEP 1 INSTEAD OF 2 DUE TO A WIRING PRBLM. CAPT WAS ON DUTY APRX 15 HRS, AWAKE 19.5 HRS. 2 EMERG SLIDES MALF. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N965VJ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N965VJ-2005-02-07), registration cancelled 2005-02-07, S/N 47374, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 - Registry model: [Douglas DC-9-31](https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-dc-9-31) (registry code 3022065) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-series) (registry code 52053, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 47374 - Engines: P&W JT8D-7A 46250 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: US Air - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: NASHVILLE, TN - Destination: ERI - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ERI, Erie Int'L, runway 24, 6,500 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 15,556 total, 5,000 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark - Wind: 180° at 4 knots - Lowest ceiling: 200 ft - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ERI, 3 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). - [Incident 19841014077099I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19841014077099I), Oct 14, 1984: Doug DC931, Erie, PA, Minor damage. Failed to activate approach while landing below dh in dark nite and heavy fog, landed offside of runway in soft mud ## Other investigations on N965VJ (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 MKC89IA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC89IA024), Nov 16, 1988: Mcdonnell Douglas DC9-31 (N965VJ), Minneapolis, MN, incident, minor damage. Probable cause: THE FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRE CARCASS AND THE INGESTION OF THE TIRE DEBRIS INTO THE LEFT ENGINE WHICH HINDERED NORMAL OPERATION. 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.