# NTSB LAX88IA295: Mcdonnell Douglas DC9-51, N689HA, Honolulu, HI, August 20, 1988

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: August 20, 1988, 09:26 local (16:26 UTC)
- Place: Honolulu, HI
- Location: 21.3178° N, 157.9203° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at DANIEL K INOUYE INTL (HNL), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.3178&lon=-157.9203&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 144 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 11, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 25874
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX88IA295
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/25874/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX88IA295

## Probable cause

THE AIRCRAFTS ENCOUNTER WITH THE ENGINE EXHAUST FLOW AND RELATED TURBULENCE FROM A HEAVY BOEING 747, WHICH CROSSED THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY ABOUT 1 MINUTE AND TEN SECONDS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT.

## Sequence of events

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

- Vortex turbulence encountered, landing - flare/touchdown
  - unsafe/hazardous condition warning - not issued, atc personnel(dep/apch) (contributing factor)
  - traffic pattern procedure - inadequate (contributing factor)
  - wake turbulence - encountered (cause)
  - communications - inadequate, atc personnel(dep/apch) (cause)
- Miscellaneous/other, landing - flare/touchdown
  - rotation - excessive, copilot/second pilot (cause)

## Analysis

THE HAWAIIAN DC9 WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RWY 8L. ALL PASSENGER AIRCRAFT DEPARTING RWY 8R FROM THE PASSENGER TERMINAL MUST CROSS THE APPROACH END OF RWY 8L. A HEAVY BOEING 747 CROSSED THE APPROACH END OF RWY 8L ENROUTE TO 8R ABOUT 1 MINUTE AND 10 SECONDS PRIOR TO THE TOUCHDOWN OF THE DC9. THE DC9 CREW SAID THE APPROACH WAS STABILIZED AT VREF PLUS 10 WITH A 600 FPM DESCENT RATE. AT 50 FEET AGL OVER THE APPROACH END OF THE RWY. THE AIRSPEED SUDDENLY DECREASED TO VREF AND A HIGH SINK RATE DEVELOPED. THE PILOT FLYING WAS ABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT RATE WITH POWER AND A PITCH ATTITUDE INCREASE. THE PITCH ATTITUDE WAS BEYOND THE 10.4 DEGREE PITCH ATTITUDE REQUIRED TO STRIKE THE TAIL SKID. THE TAIL SKID BROKE OFF AND DAMAGED SOME INTERNAL MEMBERS IN THE TAIL AREA.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N689HA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC9-51
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 47663
- Engines: P&W JT-8D-17 16000 lbs thrust turbo jet
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.
- Registered owner: First Security Bank
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: KOA, KONA, HI
- Destination: HNL, HONOLULU, HI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: HNL, Honolulu Int'L, runway 8L, 12,360 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 47; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 11,528 total, 8,000 in this make and model, 214 in the last 90 days, 73 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 80° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: HNL

## 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 19880820069739I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880820069739I), Aug 20, 1988: Doug DC951, Honolulu, HI, Minor damage. Distracted by 747 crossing runway on approach. High sink rate. SIC had high deck angle landing. Dragged tail skid.

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.