# NTSB FTW64A0040: Douglas DC-8, N8603, Houston, TX, November 9, 1963

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Closed
- Date: November 9, 1963
- Place: Houston, TX · HOUSTON, TX
- Location: 29.7633° N, 95.3633° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Houston, TX, within about 14 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7633&lon=-95.3633&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious, 15 minor, 111 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 6, 1969
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 187560
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW64A0040
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW64A0040

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-0013   63/11/9 NR.HOUSTON,TEX        DOUGLAS DC-8        CR-  0  1  6  SCHED INTERNATL PASSG SRV AIRLINE TRANSPORT, AGE
        TIME - 1502                    N8603               PX-  0  1120                            52, 24907 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            2248 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        OPERATOR - EASTERN AIR LINES,INC.
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           UNCONTROLLED ALTITUDE DEVIATIONS                         IN FLIGHT: CLIMB TO CRUISE
           ENGINE TEARAWAY                                          IN FLIGHT: OTHER
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           SYSTEMS - FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS: OTHER
           POWERPLANT - ENGINE STRUCTURE: OTHER
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - OVERLOAD FAILURE
        FACTOR(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
           PERSONNEL - MAINTENANCE,SERVICING,INSPECTION: INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION
           WEATHER - TURBULENCE, ASSOCIATED W/CLOUDS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS
        WEATHER BRIEFING - COMPANY DISPATCH
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON AIRPORT
                                  SUSPECTED OR KNOWN AIRCRAFT DAMAGE
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OBSCURATION                                              UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          ZERO                                                     HAIL
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          NONE                                                     VFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR
        REMARKS- DEGRADATION OF LONGITUDINAL STABILITY OF ACFT DUE PARTIAL EXTENDED PTC AND A.N.D.TRIM.NO.3 ENG SEP
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8603](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8603-1998-01-14), registration cancelled 1998-01-14, S/N 45424 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOUGLAS DC-8
- Registry model: [Douglas DC-8-21](https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-dc-8-21) (registry code 3021906) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: turbo jet
- Damage: Substantial damage

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.
