Accident McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 N826AT,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 323385

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Date:	Wednesday 29 November 2000
Time:	15:50
Type:	McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32
Owner/operator:	AirTran Airways
Registration:	N826AT
MSN:	47359/495
Year of manufacture:	1969
Total airframe hrs:	78255 hours
Cycles:	88367 flights
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7B (HK3)
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 97
Aircraft damage:	Substantial, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	Atlanta-William B. Hartsfield International Airport, GA (ATL) - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Atlanta-William B. Hartsfield International Airport, GA (ATL/KATL)
Destination airport:	Akron/Canton Regional Airport, OH (CAK/KCAK)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AirTran flight 956 departed Atlanta at 15:41. At 1543:10, as the airplane was climbing through about 3800 feet, the flight crew observed numerous circuit breakers trip and several annunciator panel lights illuminate. The first officer than radioed a request to level off at 4000 feet and stated that they wanted to return to the airport. About 15:50, the airplane landed on runway 26R. After the landing, during the airplane's exit from the runway onto taxiway B-3, one of the flight attendants reported to the flight crew that smoke could be seen emanating from the left sidewall in the forward cabin; air traffic control personnel also notified the flight crew that smoke was coming from the airplane. The flight crew then initiated an emergency evacuation on one of the taxiways. Airport rescue and firefighting personnel assisted in subduing the fire.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The leakage of lavatory fluid from the airplane's forward lavatory onto electrical connectors, which caused shorting that led to a fire. Contributing to the accident were the inadequate servicing of the lavatory and the failure of maintenance to ensure reinstallation of the shield over the fuselage station 237 disconnect panel."

Accident investigation: