# NTSB LAX93IA198: Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11, N803DE, Los Angeles, CA, May 1, 1993 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: April 30, 1993, 21:13 local (May 1, 1993, 04:13 UTC) - Place: Los Angeles, CA - Coordinates: 33.950527, -118.40052 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9505&lon=-118.4005&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 277 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 30, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28353 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX93IA198 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28353/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=28353 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX93IA198 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED TO GO-AROUND ON HIS FIRST APPROACH DUE TO PRECEDING TRAFFIC ON THE RUNWAY. AFTER THE SECOND APPROACH, HE ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE'S DESCENT RATE TO BECOME EXCESSIVE, AND IT TOUCHED DOWN FIRMLY AND BOUNCED. THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN WAS ALSO FIRM. DURING THE LANDING ROLL-OUT, THE AIRPLANE VIBRATED, BUT WAS CONTROLLED WITH BRAKES AND ENGINE REVERSING. A POST-FLIGHT EXAM REVEALED DAMAGE TO BOTH NOSE GEAR TIRES AND WHEEL RIMS, SMALL HOLES IN THE FUSELAGE AFT OF THE NOSE GEAR, AND INGESTION OF TIRE RUBBER IN THE #1 ENGINE. ## Factual narrative On April 30, 1993, at 2113 hours Pacific daylight time, Delta Airlines Flight 88, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, N803DE, landed hard on Runway 24R at Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California. The airplane, operating as a scheduled international passenger flight under 14 CFR Part 121, sustained minor damage. There were no injuries to the 14 crewmembers or 263 passengers. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Anchorage, Alaska, at 1545 hours. According to the FAA, the pilot was instructed to go-around on his first approach due to the preceding traffic on the runway. On the second approach, the airplane landed hard and bounced. The pilot added power to cushion the landing, which subsequently stowed and disarmed the wing spoilers. Examination of the airplane revealed damage to both nose gear tires and wheel rims, damage to the heat shield on the center body gear, small holes in the fuselage aft of the nose gear, and ingestion of tire rubber in the number 1 engine inlet. Delta Airlines System Manager Flight Safety reported in part, "On arrival into LAX, the crew was cleared for an ILS 24R with about 18,000 pounds of fuel remaining. A go-around was required from short final due to failure of traffic ahead to clear the runway. On short final, [the] aircraft felt like it was sinking, but an instrument check indicated a stable approach. The Captain added additional throttle and back pressure to the controls. The aircraft touched down, the nose pitched up and the aircraft became airborne." The system manager also stated that, "The Captain added additional power and forward pressure to the controls to counter the nose pitch-up. The second touchdown was firm and during the rollout the aircraft vibrated, but was controlled with brakes and engine reversing." Delta Airlines did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane preceding the incident. Delta Airlines also reported that "training in last minute high sink rate situations and recovery techniques after a hard landing could prevent a similar occurrence." ## Aircraft - Registration: N803DE (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD-11 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 48474 - Airframe hours: 4572 - Engines: P&W PW4460 60000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: Delta Airlines - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, March 24, 1993 - Departed: ANC, ANCHORAGE, AK - Destination: LAX - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: LAX, Los Angeles International, runway 24R, 8,925 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 21,150 total, 1,250 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 120° at 5 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,400 ft overcast - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: LAX, 1 nm away ## 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 19930430023939I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930430023939I), Apr 30, 1993: Doug MD11, Los Angeles, CA, Minor damage. Pilot made a hard landing. Bounced and damaged the nose gear. ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 3, 1995, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=28353. 1.7 MB in all. - Supplement E (item 1, .PDF, 165 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40359192&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20E-Redacted.PDF - Supplement S (item 2, .PDF, 42 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40006060&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2 (item 3, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40359193&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%2F2-Redacted.PDF - Flight Data Recorder Read Out (item 4, .PDF, 247 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40006062&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%20Read%20Out-Master.PDF - Photo 1. Front view nose gear. (item 5, .PDF, 33 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40006063&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20%20Front%20view%20nose%20gear.-Master.PDF - Photo 2, Side view of nose gear. (item 6, .PDF, 36 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40006064&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202,%20%20Side%20view%20of%20nose%20gear.-Master.PDF - Photo 3. View of holes in bottom of the fuselage aft of nose gear. (item 7, .PDF, 27 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40006065&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20%20View%20of%20holes%20in%20bottom%20of%20the%20fuselage%20aft%20of%20nose%20gear.-Master.PDF - Photo 4. View of rubber debris from nose gear tire in engine #1. (item 8, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40006066&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204.%20%20View%20of%20rubber%20debris%20from%20nose%20gear%20tire%20in%20engine%20%231.-Master.PDF 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.