- Date
- October 13, 1994, 21:31 local (Oct 14, 1994, 02:31 UTC)
- Place
- Dfw Airport, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1758BMcdonnell Douglas MD-11
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report May 18, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941013039519I
- Case key
- 19259
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
Improper maintenance by unknown persons resulting in a jammed spoiler. A factor was the reversed aileron fitting.
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.
Analysis
During initial climb after takeoff the aircraft experienced a right roll and yaw. The crew arrested the yaw and roll and returned to the departure airport. Following the landing, an inspection revealed that the right hand spoiler control arm had become entangled in the right aileron cable bus guard. Further examination of the aileron bus guard and a review of the engineering drawings revealed that the cable bus guard had been installed incorrectly (reversed 180 degrees from the correct installation).
Factual narrative
On October 13, 1994, at 2131 central daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, N1758B, experienced a flight control malfunction during takeoff at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, (DFW) Texas. The airplane, owned by American Airlines, Inc., and operated by U. S. Africa Airways, was departing on a ferry flight to Washington's Dulles Airport. An IFR flight plan was filed and in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Neither of the two crewmembers were injured.
According to the crew, they experienced a right roll and yaw at liftoff. They were able to control the adverse control effects and elected to return to the airport where an uneventful landing was made. As the airplane was taxiing to the maintenance hangar, maintenance personnel noticed that spoiler numbers 1, 4, and 5, were deployed on the right wing. Prior to this flight a "B" check had been completed on the airplane during which a left hand aileron tension regulator had been removed and replaced. Post- incident inspection revealed that the right hand spoiler control arm had become entangled in the right aileron cable bus guard. It was determined that the cable guard had been installed backwards following the aileron cable maintenance.
Repeated attempts to obtain a Pilot/Operator report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2 was unsuccessful due to the company going out of business.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1758B
- Reported as
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 48527
- Airframe hours
- 8,642
- Engine
- GE CF680C2D-1F, 62,504 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- U. S. Africa Airways
- Registered owner
- American Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · October 13, 1994
- Destination
- IAD · Washington, DC
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- DFW · Dfw Airport, runway 36, 11,388 × 150 ft, concrete
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13,100 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 330° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DFW
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.