Douglas DC-9-31 N8982E

Summary

On 31 May 1990 at about 12:10 local time, a Douglas DC-9-31 registered N8982E was involved in an incident near Atlanta, Georgia, United States. 67 people were on board and nobody was injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 May 1990 at 12:10

Classification

Incident

Location

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

William B. Hartsfield (ATL)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Douglas DC-9-31

Registration

N8982E

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Charlotte

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL90IA124

Nobody was injured.

FAILURE OF THE AC CROSS TIE RELAY, WHICH PREVENTED THE GENERATORS FROM BEING RECONNECTED TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. A FACTOR IN THE INCIDENT WAS THE LOSS OF THE LEFT GENERATOR IN FLIGHT. FACTORS INCLUDE INADVERTENTLY DISCONNECTING THE LEFT GENERATOR WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING THE RIGHT GENERATOR LOSS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FLIGHT CREW HEARD A LOUD 'CLUNK', FOLLOWED BY THE RIGHT GENERATOR FALLING OFF LINE. AFTER UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTING TO RESET THE RIGHT GENERATOR, THE LEFT GENERATOR FELL OFF LINE. AN ATTEMPT TO RESET THE LEFT GENERATOR WAS ALSO UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CREW SELECTED EMERGENCY POWER AND RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING. EXAMINATION OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AFTER THE INCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE AC CROSS TIE RELAY HAD FAILED IN THE 'CLOSED' POSITION. THIS PREVENTED EITHER GENERATOR FROM BEING PUT BACK ON LINE. BOTH GENERATORS AND ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS WERE EXAMINED AND NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS OBSERVED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.