ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63F N782AL Kansas City International Airport, MO (MCI)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Thursday 16 February 1995
Time:20:27
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC86 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63F
Operator:Air Transport International - ATI
Registration: N782AL
MSN: 45929/367
First flight: 1968
Total airframe hrs:77096
Cycles:22404
Engines: 4 Pratt & Whitney JT3D-7 (Q)
Crew:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:Kansas City International Airport, MO (MCI) (   United States of America)
Crash site elevation: 313 m (1027 feet) amsl
Phase: Takeoff (TOF)
Nature:Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:Kansas City International Airport, MO (MCI/KMCI), United States of America
Destination airport:Springfield-Westover Metro Airport, MA (CEF/KCEF), United States of America
Narrative:
At 20:21 LT the DC-8 prepared to takeoff from RWY 01L for a flight to Westover AFB with the no. 1 engine inoperative. But the aircraft lost directional control and the crew aborted the takeoff. Six minutes afterwards they attempted to takeoff for the second time.
At 980 m into the takeoff roll the DC-8 started to veer to the left. At 1160 m the aircraft rotated with a tail strike but the tail remained in contact with the runway for another 250 m. At 1600 m the DC-8 finally became airborne and climbed to 30 m before crashing into the ground, left wing-first. The wreckage came to a halt at 2300 m.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "(1) The loss of directional control by the pilot in command during the takeoff roll, and his decision to continue the takeoff and initiate a rotation below the computed rotation airspeed, resulting in a premature lift-off, further loss of control and collision with the terrain. (2) The flight crew's lack of understanding of the three-engine takeoff procedures, and their decision to modify those procedures. (3) The failure of the company to ensure that the flight crew had adequate experience, training, and rest to conduct the nonroutine flight. Contributing to the accident was the inadequacy of Federal Aviation Administration oversight of Air Transport International and Federal Aviation Administration flight and duty time regulations that permitted a substantially reduced flight crew rest period when conducting a nonrevenue ferry flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 195 days (7 months)
Accident number: NTSB/AAR-95-06
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Flight with 1 engine inoperative
Tailstrike
Loss of control

Sources:
» Business & Commercial Aviation April 1996(88,94)
» ICAO Adrep Summary 2/96 (#23)
» NTSB/AAR-95/06


Follow-up / safety actions

NTSB issued 8 Safety Recommendations

Show all...

Photos

photo of DC-8-63F-N782AL
accident date: 16-02-1995
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63F
registration: N782AL
photo of DC-8-63F-N782AL
accident date: 16-02-1995
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63F
registration: N782AL
photo of DC-8-63F-N782AL
accident date: 16-02-1995
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63F
registration: N782AL
 

Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Kansas City International Airport, MO to Springfield-Westover Metro Airport, MA as the crow flies is 1878 km (1173 miles).

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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DC-8

  • 556 built
  • 71st loss
  • 45th fatal accident
  • 38th worst accident (at the time)
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