# NTSB DCA87IA015: ATR ATR-42, N423MQ, Detroit, MI, December 18, 1986

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: December 18, 1986, 08:59 local (13:59 UTC)
- Place: Detroit, MI
- Coordinates: 42.219089, -83.349662 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2191&lon=-83.3497&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 41 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 7, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 15866
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA87IA015
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15866/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA87IA015

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, approach
  - weather condition - icing conditions (contributing factor)
  - wing - ice (contributing factor)
  - anti-ice/deice system - improper use of, pilot in command (cause)
  - inadequate transition/upgrade training, other person (cause)
  - information unclear, manufacturer (contributing factor)
- Loss of control - in flight, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
  - airspeed - reduced
  - autopilot/flight director - disconnected
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- Altitude deviation,uncontrolled, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)

## Analysis

DRG ARR, THE FLT WAS VECTORED FOR AN ILS RWY 3R APCH. AT THAT TIME, ATIS INFO INDCD MOD MIXED ICING IN CLDS. THE CAPT RPRTD THE ACFT ENTERED THE CLOUD TOPS AT 5500', WAS IN THE CLDS APRX 5 MIN & ACCUMULATED ABT 1.5' OF RIME ICE. HE STATEDICE ACCUMULATION WAS RAPID, SO THEY DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL THEY WERE IN THE CLR TO CYCLE THE BOOTS TO PREVENT BRIDGING. AFTER INTERCEPTING THE ILS GLIDE SLOPE ON A COUPLED APCH, THE ACFT WAS SLOWED TO EXTD THE GEAR & FLAPS. A CALL FOR 'FLAPS 15' WAS MADE & APRX 3 SEC LATER, THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED AS THE ACFT WAS DSCNDG THRU ABT 1900' AGL AT APRX 146 KTS. AT APRX THE SAME TIME FRAME, THE DE-ICE BOOTS WERE CYCLED AS THE ACFT BROKE OUT OF WX & THE ACFT WENT OUT OF CTL. IT ENTERED BANK OSCILLATIONS (UP TO 44 DEG) & ABRUPTLY LOST ABT 500' BEFORE THE CREW RCVRD, BUT THEY LNDD SUCCESSFULLY. INV REVEALED THE RECENTLY TRAINED CREW DIDN'T GET SUFFICIENT TRAINING IN USE OF DE-ICE EQUIP FM COMPANY INSTRUCTORS, WHOWERE TRAINED AT THE FACTORY. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THE MANUFACTURER REVISED THE FLT MANUAL TO PROVIDE MORE SPECIFIC INFO.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N423MQ (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: ATR ATR-42
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: P&W PW-120 1800 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: Simmons Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: TVC, TRAVERSE CITY, MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: DTW, Detroit Metro, runway 3R, 10,000 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 31; 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: 3,965 total, 61 in this make and model, 1,770 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 1,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: DTW, 8 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 19861218081799I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19861218081799I), Dec 18, 1986: Aerosp ATR42300, Detroit, MI. The aircraft stalled while operating in icing conditions. The pilot failed to use deicing systems in time.

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.

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