McDonnell Douglas MD-11 B2171

Summary

On 6 April 1993 at about 06:30 local time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 registered B2171, operated by China Eastern Airlines, was involved in an accident near Shemya, Alaska, United States. 255 people were on board and 2 died, 60 were seriously injured, 96 had minor injuries. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 April 1993 at 06:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Shemya, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

McDonnell Douglas MD-11

Registration

B2171

Category

Airplane

Engines

3

Operator

China Eastern Airlines

Operating rule

Part 129: Foreign

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shanghai, China → Los Angeles

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

DCA93MA037

2 people died.

THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD DETERMINES THAT THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE FLAP/SLAT ACTUATION HANDLE BY THE DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT COMPANY THAT ALLOWED THE HANDLE TO BE EASILY AND INADVERTENTLY DISLODGED FROM THE UP/RET POSITION, THEREBY CAUSING EXTENSION OF THE LEADING EDGE SLATS DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. THE CAPTAIN'S ATTEMPT TO RECOVER FROM THE SLAT EXTENSION, GIVEN THE REDUCED LONGITUDINAL STABILITY AND THE ASSOCIATED LIGHT CONTROL FORCE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MD-11 IN CRUISE FLIGHT, LED TO SEVERAL VIOLENT PITCH OSCILLATIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE VIOLENCE OF THE PITCH OSCILLATIONS WAS THE LACK OF SPECIFIC MD-11 PILOT TRAINING IN RECOVERY FROM HIGH ALTITUDE UPSETS, AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE STALL WARNING SYSTEM ON THE CAPTAIN'S CONTROL RESPONSES. CONTRIBUTING TO THE SEVERITY OF THE INJURIES WAS THE LACK OF SEAT RESTRAINT USAGE BY THE OCCUPANTS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

FLIGHT 583 WAS LEVEL AT 33,000 FEET WHEN THE LEADING EDGE SLATS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE AUTOPILOT DISCONNECTED AND THE CAPTAIN WAS MANUALLY CONTROLLING THE AIRPLANE WHEN IT PROGRESSED THROUGH SEVERAL VIOLENT PITCH OSCILLATIONS AND LOST 5,000 FEET. THE SAFETY BOARD DETERMINED THAT THE INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE SLATS WAS THE RESULT OD AN INADEQUATELY DESIGNED FLAP/SLAT HANDLE THAT ALLOWED THE HANDLED TO BE EASILY AND INADVERTENLY DISLODGED FROM THE UP/RET POSITION, THEREBY CAUSING SLAT EXTENSION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.