# NTSB FTW03LA132: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82), N452AA, DFW Airport, TX, April 16, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 16, 2003, 11:58 local (16:58 UTC) - Place: DFW Airport, TX - Coordinates: 32.896389, -97.037498 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8964&lon=-97.0375&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 54 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: DFW AMR CMO - NTSB case key (mKey): 56839 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW03LA132 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56839/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA132 ## Probable cause An inadvertent trauma to the passenger's ankle during an emergency evacuation. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, taxi - from landing - hydraulic system,pump - fractured - fluid,hydraulic - leak - fuselage,cabin - smoke - Miscellaneous/other, standing - engine(s) not operating - evacuation - performed, passenger (cause) ## Analysis While taxiing after landing, the flight crew started the airplane's auxiliary power unit (APU). Shortly thereafter, the cabin began to fill with smoke. The captain ordered an emergency evacuation. All slides functioned normally; however, during the egress a passenger sustained a broken right ankle. Examination of the airplane revealed the smoke was caused when the APU ingested hydraulic fluid that leaked from the pump after APU start-up. ## Factual narrative On April 16, 2003, at 1158 central daylight time, a McDonald Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82), N452AA, operating as American Airlines Flight 2439 (AAL 2439), was not damaged when it encountered smoke in the cabin while taxiing after landing at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Texas. AAL 2439 was being operated by American Airlines, Inc., of Fort Worth, Texas under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121, as a scheduled domestic passenger flight, from Nashville (BNA), Tennessee to DFW. One passenger sustained minor injuries, one passenger sustained a serious injury, 49 passengers and the 5 crewmembers were not injured during the emergency evacuation. AAL 2439 landed at DFW on runway 17L and took the high-speed exit Quebec Seven onto taxiway Echo Romeo. After crossing runway 17C, the airplane turned north onto taxiway Mike, and the first officer started the auxiliary power unit (APU). Shortly thereafter, the #1 flight attendant called the cockpit and reported smoke in the cabin, and "it smelled electrical." The captain shut off the recirculating fan and air conditioning packs, and turned on the ram air. The captain then requested a situation assessment from a deadheading American Airlines captain (Check Airman) who was in first class. The Check Airman reported to the captain that "you've got smoke, and its getting worse." The captain stopped the airplane on taxiway Mike short of taxiway Echo Lima and issued instructions to the flight attendants to evacuate the airplane. The flight attendants evacuated the passengers via the fore and aft service door slides, and forward entry door slide. After completing the ground evacuating checklist, the flight crew exited the airplane. One passenger sustained minor lacerations and scrapes on the right hand, and another passenger sustained a broken right ankle. The passenger with the broken ankle underwent surgery for the injury, and was hospitalized for a period exceeding 48 hours. American Airlines maintenance replaced all slides and a leaking O-ring on the hydraulic transfer pump before returning the aircraft to service. Examination of the aircraft revealed the smoke was caused when the APU ingested hydraulic fluid that leaked from the pump after APU start-up. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N452AA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N452AA-2018-02-16), registration cancelled 2018-02-16, S/N 49553, built 1988 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82) - Registry model: [Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82(MD-82)](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-dc-9-82-md-82) (registry code 3022082) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 49553 - Airframe hours: 45607 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200 turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: American Airlines, inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, April 15, 2003, 3 hours before - Departed: BNA, Nashville, TN - Destination: DFW, DFW Airport, TX - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: DFW, Dallas-Ft.Worth International, runway 17L, 8,500 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review March 27, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 6,934 in this make and model - Co-pilot; age 33; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review August 9, 2002; seat: right; flight hours: 1,677 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 17 knots, gusting 21 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.76 inHg - Observed at: DFW ## Other investigations on N452AA (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 NYC03LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA016), Nov 9, 2002: McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (N452AA), Flushing, NY, no damage. Probable cause: An inadvertent trauma to the passenger's foot during an emergency evacuation. 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.