Date:	Tuesday 12 March 1991
Time:	09:06
Type:	McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62H-AF
Owner/operator:	Air Transport International - ATI
Registration:	N730PL
MSN:	46161/552
Year of manufacture:	1971
Total airframe hrs:	50145 hours
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3B
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK) -   United States of America
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK/KJFK)
Destination airport:	Brussel-Zaventem Airport (BRU/EBBR)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot felt that the force needed to pull the yoke aft was too great and aborted the takeoff. The aircraft overran, striking a sand berm and an ILS shack. Both main gears and all four engines broke off. The flight engineer had calculated the "V"-speeds and trim settings for a 242,000 lb (109770 kg) takeoff weight, while the actual takeoff weight was 342,000 lb (155130 kg).

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Improper preflight planning/preparation, in that the flight engineer miscalculated (misjudged) the aircraft's gross weight by 100,000 lbs and provided the captain with improper takeoff speeds; and improper supervision by the captain. Factors related to the accident were: improper trim setting provided to the captain by the flight engineer, inadequate monitoring of the performance data by the first officer, and the company management's inadequate surveillance of the operation. "

Air Safety Week 10 April 1995 (p. 3-4)
Flight International
ICAO Adrep Summary 4/94 (#96)
NTSB

photo (c) John Rocklein; New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK/KJFK); 12 March 1991

photo (c) via Werner Fischdick; Brussel-Zaventem Airport (BRU); December 1988

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