Date:	Thursday 16 February 1995
Time:	20:27
Type:	McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63F
Owner/operator:	Air Transport International - ATI
Registration:	N782AL
MSN:	45929/367
Year of manufacture:	1968
Total airframe hrs:	77096 hours
Cycles:	22404 flights
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney JT3D-7 (Q)
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	Kansas City International Airport, MO (MCI) -   United States of America
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:	Kansas City International Airport, MO (MCI/KMCI)
Destination airport:	Springfield-Westover Metro Airport, MA (CEF/KCEF)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

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: "(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."

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

photo (c) NTSB; Kansas City International Airport, MO (MCI); February 1995; (publicdomain)

photo (c) NTSB; Kansas City International Airport, MO (MCI); February 1995; (publicdomain)

photo (c) Ryan Hales

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