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| Date: | Friday 13 October 1995 |
| Time: | 20:51 LT |
| Type: |  McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 |
| Owner/operator: | Airborne Express |
| Registration: | N945AX |
| MSN: | 47551/634 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 50975 hours |
| Engine model: | P&W JT8D-9A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Cedar Rapids, IA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Des Moines, IA (KDSM) |
| Willmington, OH (ILN | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Shortly after an intermediate level-off at 13,000 feet, the crew heard a loud bang and felt the airplane shudder. They diverted to a nearby airport. During the landing roll, the engine's thrust reversers were deployed. The right engine thrust reverser deploy light illuminated. The left engine thrust reverser deploy light did not illuminate. Maintenance personnel found the left engine lower thrust reverser door had been struck repeatedly by the top reverser door. An investigation revealed broken and bent thrust reverser linkages. A pivot bolt, washers, castellated nut, and cotterpin associated with a driver linkage arm were missing. Two other company airplanes were found with a missing cotterpin from the pivot bolt. Examination of these assemblies revealed the bolt end did not protrude beyond the nut's outer edge. The result was that the cotterpin could not fit through the hole in the bolt. The manufacturer's parts manual and maintenance manual text indicated that one countersunk washer should have been below the bolt head and one flat washer under the nut. However, the corresponding illustration in the maintenance manual showed an additional washer (2 washers) under the nut.
Probable Cause: inadequate installation of a thrust reverser, driver linkage arm pivot bolt and nut, which resulted in the nut and bolt becoming disconnected. A factor relating to the accident was: the manufacturer's unclear information regarding the type and number of washers to be installed on the pivot bolt assembly.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB CHI96LA011
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Mar-2024 10:29 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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