ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 EC-CBN Boston-Logan International Airport, MA (BOS)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Monday 17 December 1973
Time:15:43
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC10 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30
Operator:Iberia
Registration: EC-CBN
MSN: 46925/87
First flight: 1973
Total airframe hrs:2016
Engines: 3 General Electric CF6-50C
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 14
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 154
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 168
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Boston-Logan International Airport, MA (BOS) (   United States of America)
Phase: Landing (LDG)
Nature:International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD/LEMD), Spain
Destination airport:Boston-Logan International Airport, MA (BOS/KBOS), United States of America
Flightnumber:IB933
Narrative:
The DC-10 approached Boston runway 33L in bad weather (rain, fog, 1.2 km visibility). The aircraft struck approach lights 500 feet short of the threshold and collided with a dyke. The right main gear was sheared off, the aircraft then skidded and came to a rest 3000 feet from the threshold.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The captain did not recognize, and may have been unable to recognize, an increased rate of descent in time to arrest it before the aircraft struck the approach light piers. The increased rate of descent was induced by an encounter with a low-level wind shear at a critical point in the landing approach where he was transitioning from automatic flight control under instrument flight conditions to manual flight control with visual references. The captain's ability to detect and arrest the increased rate of descent was adversely affected by a lack of information as to the existence of the wind shear and the marginal visual cues available. The minimal DC-10 wheel clearance above the approach lights and the runway threshold afforded by the ILS glide slope made the response time critical and, under the circumstances, produced a situation wherein a pilot's ability to make a safe landing was greatly diminished."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 11 months
Accident number: NTSB/AAR-74-14
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Windshear/downdraft
Undershoot/overshoot

Follow-up / safety actions

NTSB issued 7 Safety Recommendations

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Photos

photo of DC-10-30-EC-CBN
accident date: 17-12-1973
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30
registration: EC-CBN
photo of DC-10-30-EC-CBN
accident date: 17-12-1973
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30
registration: EC-CBN
photo of DC-10-30-EC-CBN
accident date: 17-12-1973
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30
registration: EC-CBN
photo of DC-10-30-EC-CBN
accident date: 17-12-1973
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30
registration: EC-CBN
 

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 Madrid-Barajas Airport to Boston-Logan International Airport, MA as the crow flies is 5435 km (3397 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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