Douglas DC-8-63 N782AL

Summary

On 17 February 1995 at about 02:27 local time, a Douglas DC-8-63 registered N782AL, operated by Air Transport International Limited Liability Co, was involved in an accident near Kansas City, Missouri, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 February 1995 at 02:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Kansas City International (MKC)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Douglas DC-8-63

Registration

N782AL

Category

Airplane

Engines

4

Operator

Air Transport International Limited Liability Co

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Westover Afb

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

DCA95MA020

3 people died.

(1) THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, AND HIS DECISION TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF AND INITIATE A ROTATION BELOW THE COMPUTED ROTATION AIRSPEED, RESULTING IN A PREMATURE LIFTOFF, FURTHER LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN. (2) THE FLIGHTCREW'S LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE THREE-ENGINE TAKEOFF PROCEDURES, AND THEIR DECISION TO MODIFY THOSE PROCEDURES. (3) THE FAILURE OF THE COMPANY TO ENSURE THAT THE FLIGHTCREW HAD ADEQUATE EXPERIENCE, TRAINING, AND REST TO CONDUCT THE NONROUTINE FLIGHT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUACY OF FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION OVERSIGHT OF AIR TRANSPORT INTERNATIONAL AND FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION FLIGHT AND DUTY TIME REGULATIONS THAT PERMITTED A SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED FLIGHTCREW REST PERIOD WHEN CONDUCTING A NONREVENUE FERRY FLIGHT UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. (NTSB REPORT AAR-95/06)

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFTOFF DURING A THREE-ENGINE TAKEOFF. FLIGHTCREW HAD SHORTENED REST BREAK; REST PERIODS NOT REQUIRED FOR FERRY FLIGHTS. FLIGHTCREW FATIGUED FROM LACK OF REST, SLEEP, AND DISRUPTION OF CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS. FLIGHTCREW DID NOT HAVE ADEQUATE, REALISTIC TRAINING IN THREE-ENGINE TAKEOFF TECHNIQUES OR PROCEDURES. FLIGHTCREW DID NOT ADEQUATELY UNDERSTAND THREE-ENGINE TAKEOFF PROCEDURES, INCLUDING SIGNIFICANCE OF VMCG. FLIGHT ENGINEER IMPROPERLY DETERMINED VMCG SPEED, RESULTING IN VALUE 9 KNOTS TOO LOW. DURING FIRST TAKEOFF ATTEMPT, CAPTAIN APPLIED POWER TO ASYMMETRICAL ENGINE TOO SOON, WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND REJECTED THE TAKEOFF. CAPTAIN AGREED TO MODIFY PROCEDURE BY ALLOWING FLIGHT ENGINEER TO ADVANCE THROTTLE, A DEVIATION OF PRESCRIBED PROCEDURE. FAA OVERSIGHT OF OPERATOR WAS INADEQUATE BECAUSE THE POI AND GEOGRAPHIC INSPECTORS WERE UNABLE TO EFFECTIVELY MONITOR DOMESTIC CREW TRAINING AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS. EXISTING FAR PART 121 FLIGHT TIME LIMITS & REST REQUIREMENTS THAT PERTAINED TO THE FLIGHTS THAT THE FLIGHTCREW FLEW PRIOR TO THE FERRY FLIGHTS DID NOT APPLY TO THE FERRY FLIGHTS FLOWN UNDER FAR PART 91. CURRENT ONE-ENGINE INOPERATIVE TAKEOFF PROCEDURES DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE RUDDER AVAILABILITY FOR CORRECTING DIRECTIONAL DEVIATIONS DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL COMPATIBLE WITH THE ACHIEVEMENT OF MAXIMUM ASYMMETRIC THRUST AT AN APPROPRIATE SPEED GREATER THAN GROUND MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.