DCA97MA055

NTSB accident investigation · McDonnell Douglas MD-11 · Newark, NJ · July 31, 1997

Accident · Minor injuriesClass 1 · MajorFinal report
Date
July 31, 1997, 01:31 local (05:31 UTC)
Place
Newark, NJ
Injuries
5 minor
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N611FEMcDonnell Douglas MD-11
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed · report February 7, 2001
Report
Board-adopted at Board Meeting
Investigation class
Class 1
NTSB office
Major Investigations Division
Safety recommendations
Yes
FAA report
19970731020129A
Case key
11026

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

On this page

Probable cause

The captain's overcontrol of the airplane during the landing and his failure to execute a go-around from a destabilized flare. Contributing to the accident was the captain's concern with touching down early to ensure adequate stopping distance.

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.

Hard landingLanding - flare/touchdown
Aircraft control - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Main gear collapsedLanding - roll
Landing gear,main gear attachment - separation
Landing gear,main gear attachment - overload
Airframe/component/system failure/malfunctionLanding
Wing - separation
Wing - overload
FireLanding - roll

Analysis

On July 31, 1997, at 0130 edt, Federal Express cargo flight 14, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, N611FE, crashed while landing on runway 22R at Newark IAP, Newark, NJ. The airplane experienced a hard landing, bounced, and the right main landing gear collapsed on the second touchdown. A fire broke out after the airplane came to a stop and destroyed the airplane. VFR conditions prevailed at the time, and the two pilots and three other company personnel received minor injuries. The flight originated at Anchorage, AK, and was on an IFR flight plan.

Factual narrative

On July 31, 1997, about 0132 eastern daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, N611FE, operated by Federal Express, Inc., (FedEx) as flight 14, crashed while landing on runway 22R at Newark International Airport, Newark, New Jersey (EWR). The regularly scheduled cargo flight originated in Singapore on July 30 with intermediate stops in Penang, Malaysia; Taipei, Taiwan; and Anchorage, Alaska. The flight from Anchorage International Airport to EWR was conducted on an instrument flight rules flight plan and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121. On board were the captain and first officer, who had taken over the flight in Anchorage for the final leg to EWR, one jumpseat passenger, and two cabin passengers. All five occupants received minor injuries in the crash and during subsequent egress through a cockpit window. The airplane was destroyed by impact and a postcrash fire.

Aircraft

Registration
N611FE
Reported as
McDonnell Douglas MD-11
Category
Airplane
Serial number
48604
Airframe hours
13,034
Engine
GE CF6-80-C2, 62,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Part 121
Operator
Federal Express, Inc.
Registered owner
Wilmington Trust Company
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Transport
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · July 18, 1997 · 20 hours before
Departed
ANC · Anchorage, AK
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
EWR · Newark International Airp, runway 22R, 8,200 × 150 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
46
Certificates
Commercial, Airline transport, Flight engineer
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
July 11, 1997
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
11,000 total · 1,253 in this make and model · 155 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Role
Co-pilot
Age
39
Injuries
Minor
Certificates
Airline transport, Flight engineer
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Right
Flight hours
3,111 total · 96 in the last 90 days · 57 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind
270° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Temperature
68 °F
Observed at
EWR, 1 nm away

Docket · 73

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 3, 1998, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 75.7 MB in all.

Operations 2 - Group Chairman Factual ReportItem 1 · .PDF · 1.5 MBOperations 2 - Attachment 1 - FP/R's Recovered from AircraftItem 2 · .PDF · 1.6 MBOperations 2 - Attachment 2 - Newark International Airport Diagram & Approach Plate 22RItem 3 · .PDF · 413 KBOperations 2 - Attachment 3 - Tail Strike Awareness Training Information BulletinItem 4 · .PDF · 232 KBOperations 2 - Attachment 4 - Tail Strike Awarness Training Instructors GuideItem 5 · .PDF · 559 KBOperations 2 - Attachment 5A - Notes EWRItem 6 · .PDF · 3.7 MBOperations 2 - Attachment 5B - Notes MEM August, 1997Item 7 · .PDF · 2.5 MBOperations 2 - Attachment 5C - Notes MEM November, 1997Item 8 · .PDF · 417 KBOperations 2 - Attachment 6 - AWAS Data EWRItem 9 · .PDF · 175 KBStructures 7 - Group Chairman Factual ReportItem 10 · .PDF · 745 KBStructures 7 - Photo 1. Aerial view of accident site and airplane wreckageItem 11 · .PDF · 48 KBStructures 7 - Photo 2. View of the right side of the burned fuselageItem 12 · .PDF · 40 KBStructures 7 - Photo 3. View looking aft at the nose of the airplane Note: the nose landing gear and left main gear are extended and the fuselage is resting on it's left wingItem 13 · .PDF · 35 KBStructures 7 - Photo 4. View of the empennage and damaged outboard end of the left horizontal stabilizerItem 14 · .PDF · 31 KBStructures 7 - Photo 5. View of the runway gouge that contained paint chips that matched the color of paint and damage to the right engine nacelle tail cone.Item 15 · .PDF · 50 KBStructures 7 - Photo 6. View of the No. 3 (right) engine Note: engine tail cone is crushed and the engine inlet case is destroyedItem 16 · .PDF · 40 KBStructures 7 - Photo 7. View of the right inboard trailing edge wing flapItem 17 · .PDF · 36 KBStructures 7 - Photo 8. View of damaged #55C runway sign mounting baseItem 18 · .PDF · 38 KBStructures 7 - Photo 9. View looking outboard of right wing at the separated wing rootItem 19 · .PDF · 39 KBStructures 7 - Photo 10. Close-up view of right wing Note: fractured stringers bent upwardsItem 20 · .PDF · 50 KBStructures 7 - Photo 11. View of fixed brace, forward and aft mounts for the right landing gearItem 21 · .PDF · 50 KBStructures 7 - Photo 12. Close-up view of the fixed brace fracture faceItem 22 · .PDF · 33 KBStructures 7 - Photo 13. View of outboard right wing tip and outboard section of right horizontal stabilizer in foreground. Note: lower winglet is separated from the outboard wingItem 23 · .PDF · 36 KBStructures 7 - Photo 14. View of burned outboard section of right horizontal stabilizerItem 24 · .PDF · 44 KBStructures 7 - Photo 15. View of No. 1 (left) engine and engine plyonItem 25 · .PDF · 39 KBStructures 7 - Photo 16. View of No. 2 (center) engineItem 26 · .PDF · 43 KBStructures 7 - Photo 17. View of separated engine inletItem 27 · .PDF · 57 KBStructures 7 - Photo 18. View of the intact left landing gear pillow block and trapezoidal panelItem 28 · .PDF · 41 KBStructures 7 - Photo 19. View of fractured right landing gear trapezoidal panelItem 29 · .PDF · 57 KBStructures 7 - Photo 20. Right landing gearItem 30 · .PDF · 32 KBStructures 7 - Photo 21. Fractured right landing gear bogie beamItem 31 · .PDF · 43 KBStructures 7 - Photo 22. Center main landing gear wheelsItem 32 · .PDF · 44 KBStructures 7 - Photo 23. View of engine fan blade embedded in the left side of the fuselage above the left wingItem 33 · .PDF · 64 KBStructures 7 - Addendum 1 - Factual ReportItem 34 · .PDF · 246 KBStructures 7 - Addendum 1 - Factual Report - Appendix A - PhotographsItem 35 · .PDF · 5 KBStructures 7 - Photo. 1 - View of right wing looking inboard toward the wing root.Item 36 · .PDF · 51 KBStructures 7 - Photo. 2 - View of the lower right wing surface looking inboard.Item 37 · .PDF · 43 KBStructures 7 - Photo. 3. View looking at inboard right wing near WS 264.Item 38 · .PDF · 50 KBStructures 7 - Photo. 4 - View of right wing leading edge number 8 slat Note: interior structure is embedded with vegetation.Item 39 · .PDF · 40 KBStructures 7 - Photo. 5 - View of the fractured lower right winglet attach fittingsItem 40 · .PDF · 33 KBStructures 7 - Photo. 6 - View of inboard forward number 3 engine pylon attach fitting (tombstone fitting)Item 41 · .PDF · 46 KBStructures 7 - Photo. 7 - View of the inboard attach fitting upper fasterners for the outboard flap hinge. Note the opposite direction of fractures.Item 42 · .PDF · 53 KBStructures 7 - Photo. 8 - View of the fractures flap hinge inboard side brace fitting.Item 43 · .PDF · 61 KBStructures 7 - Photo. 9 - View of the outboard attach fitting upper fasteners for the outboard flap hinge. Note the tension fracture of the inboard bolt (on the left).Item 44 · .PDF · 51 KBStructures 7 - Photo. 10 - View of the outboard attach fitting lower fasteners for the outboard flap hinge. Note: fasterners are sheared flush with spar.Item 45 · .PDF · 57 KBStructures 7 - Photo. 11 - View of fractured inboard right wing root at side of body.Item 46 · .PDF · 43 KBStructures 7 - Photo. 12 - View of upper rear spar cap fracture face at inboard right wing root side of body.Item 47 · .PDF · 48 KBFlight Data Recorder 10 - Group Chairman Factual ReportItem 48 · .PDF · 2.9 MBCockpit Voice Recorder 12 - Factual Report of Group ChairmanItem 49 · .PDF · 1.7 MBAirports/ARFF 16 - Group Chairman Factual ReportItem 50 · .PDF · 1.2 MBHazardous Materials Group Factual ReportItem 51 · .PDF · 1.8 MBHazardous Materials Group Factual Report - Attachment 1 - Record of Conversation with Newark Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Personnel, 8/1/97Item 52 · .PDF · 243 KBHazardous Materials Group Factual Report - Attachment 2 - Record of Conversation with Newark Fire Department Personnel, 8/8/97Item 53 · .PDF · 115 KBHazardous Materials Group Factual Report - Attachment 3 - Record of Conversation with FedEx Personnel, 8/2/97Item 54 · .PDF · 155 KBHazardous Materials Group Factual Report - Attachment 4 - Preliminary List of Declared Hazardous Materials prepared by FedEx Newark Duty Officer on 7/31/97 around 3 am.Item 55 · .PDF · 62 KBHazardous Materials Group Factual Report - Attachment 5 - Faxes sent to the Newark FedEx On-Duty Manager by the Anchorage Station ManagerItem 56 · .PDF · 71 KBHazardous Materials Group Factual Report - Attachment 6A - FedEx Notification of Dangerous Goods Loading Part A (Narita, Japan).Item 57 · .PDF · 102 KBHazardous Materials Group Factual Report - Attachment 6B - FedEx Notification of Loading of Dangerous Goods Part BsItem 58 · .PDF · 431 KBHazardous Materials Group Factual Report - Attachment 6C - Flight 14 Load and Weight PlanItem 59 · .PDF · 192 KBHazardous Materials Group Factual Report - Attachment 7 - Warner - Lambert Materials Safety Data Sheet - MSDS P021D00Item 60 · .PDF · 376 KB
All 73 files on NTSB’s docket

FAA reports on this event · 1

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

Other investigations on N611FE · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.