- Date
- November 13, 1991, 04:45 local (09:45 UTC)
- Place
- Toledo, OH
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N794ALDouglas DC-8-63
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 37078
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
The failure of the flight engineer to conduct a proper preflight inspection and ensure the main cargo door was fully closed and locked. Factors related to the accident were the damaged wires in the bundle, and the improper main cargo door installation.
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
The main cargo door opened in flight and the airplane returned for a normal landing. Of the two circuit breakers required to be pulled prior to takeoff, one was found still engaged. A conformity inspection on the cargo door installation revealed several areas of nonconformity including door locks of less than required strength, lack of paint on door locks which is used for visual identification, and damaged wires in a bundle. The wires were part of the door closing, door locked indicating system. The investigation revealed it was possible for the door to be not completely closed and have the door warning light go out, indicating it was fully locked.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N794AL
- Reported as
- Douglas DC-8-63
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 45923
- Engine
- P&W JT3D-7, 19,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Flagship Express
- Registered owner
- Aero Lease Financial Group Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · January 2, 2000
- Destination
- LAX · Los Angeles, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Certificates
- Commercial, 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
- 8,000 total · 6,300 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Other investigations on N794AL · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.