McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15 N565PC

Summary

On 17 February 1991 at about 05:19 local time, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15 registered N565PC, operated by Ryan International Airlines, was involved in an accident near Cleveland, Ohio, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 February 1991 at 05:19

Classification

Accident

Location

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Cleveland-Hopkins Int'l (CLE)

Coordinates

41.4898, -81.6701

Aircraft

McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15

Registration

N565PC

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Ryan International Airlines

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Indianapolis

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

DCA91MA021

2 people died.

THE FAILURE OF THE FLIGHTCREW TO DETECT AND REMOVE ICE CONTAMINATION ON THE AIRPLANE'S WINGS, WHICH WAS LARGELY A RESULT OF A LACK OF APPROPRIATE RESPONSE BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT COMPANY, AND RYAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES TO THE KNOWN CRITICAL EFFECT THAT A MINUTE AMOUNT OF CONTAMINATION HAS ON THE STALL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DC-9 SERIES 10 AIRPLANE. THE ICE CONTAMINATION LED TO WING STALL AND LOSS OF CONTROL DURING THE ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF. (NTSB REPORT AAR-91/09)

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FLIGHT HAD FLOWN THROUGH WEATHER CONDUCIVE TO AIRFRAME ICE ABOUT 40 MIN PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT DURING DESCENT INTO CLEVELAND. DURING THE 35-MINUTE TURNAROUND AT CLEVELAND THE CREW DID NOT EXIT THE AIRPLANE TO CONDUCT AN EXTERIOR PREFLIGHT INSPECTION TO VERIFY THAT THE WINGS WERE FREE OF ICE CONTAMINATION. IT WAS SNOWING WHILE THEY WERE ON THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND ROLLED INTO THE GROUND IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF. THERE WAS NO OPERATOR REQUIREMENT FOR THE PREFLIGHT. THE FLIGHT HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN TRAINING REGARDING THE EFFECTS OF WING CONTAMINATION ON THE AIRPLANE. THE FAA AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN AWARE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OF THE PROPENSITY OF THE DC-9 SERIES 10 TO THE LOSS OF CONTROL CAUSED BY WING CONTAMINATION, BUT NEITHER OF THEM TOOK POSITIVE ACTION TO INCLUDE RELATED INFORMATION IN THE APPROVED AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.