Runway excursion Accident McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (DC-9-82) N275AA, Wednesday 5 March 1997
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Date:Wednesday 5 March 1997
Time:22:07 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic MD82 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (DC-9-82)
Owner/operator:American Airlines
Registration: N275AA
MSN: 49272/1167
Year of manufacture:1984
Total airframe hrs:37922 hours
Engine model:P&W JT8D
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 109
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Cleveland, Ohio -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Unknown
Departure airport:Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, TX (DFW/KDFW)
Destination airport:(KCLE)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The DC-9 was number 2 for the ILS approach behind a commuter airplane, and was placed in holding while chemicals were applied to the runway due to snow and slush. The DC-9 captain requested a braking action report, which the tower controller relayed to the commuter airplane that had not yet landed. A braking action report was not received prior to the DC-9 landing. The captain elected to continue the approach with full auto-land selected to a contaminated runway, without a braking action report and a crosswind component of 13 knots. On the runway, the auto-pilot responded and attempted to return the airplane to the centerline of the runway. After 18 seconds and with the airplane's nose drifting left, the captain disengaged the auto-pilot, and applied full right rudder and brake to stop the left drift. The DC-9 departed the left side of the paved runway approximately 5,500 feet down the 8,998 foot runway, and facing 80 degrees left of the runway heading. A review of the manual revealed that the operator's flight manual contain no guidance or limitations for pilots regarding the use of full auto land and roll-out on contaminated runways

Probable Cause: The pilot in command did not maintain control while utilizing the full auto-land system. Factors to this accident were a contaminated runway, a crosswind, and inadequate guidance provided in the aircraft manual.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: IAD97FA052
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 2 years and 12 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB IAD97FA052

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
06-Dec-2015 08:07 JINX Added
21-Dec-2016 19:30 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ]
23-Feb-2017 15:50 TB Updated [Aircraft type, ]
08-Apr-2024 16:42 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report, ]
17-Oct-2024 17:25 ASN Updated [Cn, Other fatalities, Narrative, ]

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