Douglas DC-9-31 N8943E

Summary

On 8 June 1990 at about 02:24 local time, a Douglas DC-9-31 registered N8943E, operated by Eastern Air Lines, Inc., was involved in an incident near Atlanta, Georgia, United States. 96 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 June 1990 at 02:24

Classification

Incident

Location

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

William B. Hartsfield (ATL)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Douglas DC-9-31

Registration

N8943E

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Eastern Air Lines, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Tallahassee

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL90IA126

Nobody was injured.

INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION BY OPERATOR PERSONNEL WHICH RESULTED IN OPERATION OF THE TIRE WHILE UNDER-INFLATED.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AT ROTATION THE FLIGHT CREW NOTED A BANG & A VIBRATION. THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER & WAS SHUT DOWN. A SINGLE ENGINE LANDING WAS COMPLETED AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NO. 2 TIRE RUPTURED DURING THE TAKE OFF ROLL. TIRE DEBRIS ENTERED THE ENGINE. THE TIRE HAD BEEN RECAPPED ONCE 7 DAYS PRIOR & INSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE 2 DAYS PRIOR. THE AIRPLANE HAD RECEIVED TWO DAILY SERVICE INSPECTIONS ON THE DAY PRIOR & THE MORNING OF THE INCIDENT. THE INSPECTION REQUIRES TIRE PRESSURE CHECKS WITH A GAUGE. TWO OTHER RECENT TIRE BLOWOUT INCIDENTS ON TAKE OFF WERE FOUND TO HAVE RESULTED FROM UNDER-INFLATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.