McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14 N3313L
3 December 1990 · Romulus, Michigan, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 3 December 1990 at about 18:45 local time, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14 registered N3313L was involved in an accident near Romulus, Michigan, United States. 198 people were on board and 8 died, 10 were seriously injured, 26 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 18:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Romulus, Michigan, United States
- Nearest airport
- Detroit Metro/Wayne Cnty (DTW)
- Coordinates
- 42.2192, -83.3499
- Aircraft
- McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14
- Registration
- N3313L
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 121: Air Carrier
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Pittsburg
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- DCA91MA010
People
8 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 198 | 8 | 10 | 26 | 154 |
Probable cause
LACK OF PROPER CREW COORDN, INCLUDING VIRTUAL REVERSAL OF ROLES BY THE DC-9 PLTS, WHICH LED TO THEIR FAILURE TO STOP TAXIING & ALERT GND CTLR OF THEIR POSITIONAL UNCERTAINTY IN A TIMELY MANNER BFR & AFTER INTRUDING ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY. CONTRIBUING TO CAUSE OF ACDNT WERE (1) DEFICIENCIES IN ATC SVCS PROVIDED BY DETROIT TWR, INCLUDING FAILURE OF GND CTLR TO TAKE TIMELY ACTN TO ALERT LCL CTLR TO PSBL RWY INCURSION, INADQT VIS OBS, FAILURE TO USE PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRNS IN LOW-VIS CONDS, & ISSUANCE OF INAPPROPRIATE & CONFUSING TAXI INSTRNS COMPOUNDED BY INADQ BACKUP SUPERVISION FOR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE OF STAFF ON DUTY; (2) DEFICIENCIES IN SURFACE MARKINGS, SIGNAGE & LGTG AT ARPT & FAILURE OF FAA SURVEILLANCE TO DETECT OR CORRECT ANY OF THESE DEFICIENCIES; (3) FAILURE OF NORTHWEST AIRLINES TO PROVIDE ADQT COCKPIT RESOURCE MAN- AGEMENT TRNG TO LINE AIRCREWS. CONTRIBUTING TO FATALITIES WAS INOPERABILITY OF DC-9 INTERNAL TAILCONE RLS MECHANISM. CONTRIBUTING TO NUMBER & SEVERITY OF INJURIES WAS FAILURE OF CREW OF DC-9 TO PROPERLY EXECUTE THE PSGR EVACUATION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
"THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED 1/17/2008." ON DECEMBER 3, 1990, AT 1345 EST, NORTHWEST FLIGHT 1482, A DC-9 (N3313L), AND NORTHWEST FLIGHT 299, A BOEING 727 (N278US), COLLIDED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAY 09/27 AND 03C/21C IN DENSE FOG AT DETRIOT METROPOLITAN/WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT, ROMULUS, MI. AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION, THE B-727 WAS ON ITS TAKEOFF ROLL, AND THE DC-9 HAD JUST TAXIED ONTO THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. THE B-727 WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE DC-9 WAS DESTROYED. SEVEN OF THE 40 PASSENGERS AND 1CREWMEMBER ABOARD THE DC-9 RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. NONE OF THE 146 PASSENGERS AND 8 CREWMEMBERS ABOARD THE B-727 WERE INJURED. (SEE NTSB/AAR-91/05 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION)
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14 DC-9-14 | N3313L | - | Destroyed |
| Boeing 727-251 727-251 | N278US | - | Substantial |
Other McDonnell Douglas DC-9 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Jun 1990 | McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 18 Jan 1990 | McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Oct 1990 | McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 | Columbus, Ohio, United States | Usair | No injuries | - |
| 4 Oct 1990 | McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 | Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States | Eastern Air Lines | Fatal | 1 |
| 2 May 1989 | McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Jul 1989 | McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Apr 1990 | Beechcraft M35 | Romeo, Michigan, United States | John E. Singer | Fatal | 1 |
| 26 Jun 1990 | Piper PA-46-310P | Lakeville, Michigan, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 28 Apr 1990 | Sikorsky S-58F | Southfield, Michigan, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 3 Feb 1990 | North American NA-265-40 | Detroit, Michigan, United States | Detroit City Police | No injuries | - |
| 20 May 1990 | Piper PA-28-181 | East Lansing, Michigan, United States | J. J. Tiefenthaler | Fatal | 1 |
| 3 Jun 1990 | Beechcraft A36 | Gaylord, Michigan, United States | G M N Leasing | Fatal | 4 |