Boeing MD-11 N581FE

Summary

On 21 October 1998 at about 20:15 local time, a Boeing MD-11 registered N581FE, operated by Federal Express Corporation, was involved in an incident near Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 October 1998 at 20:15

Classification

Incident

Location

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Nearest airport

Honolulu International (HNL)

Coordinates

21.3505, -157.8809

Aircraft

Boeing MD-11

Registration

N581FE

Category

Airplane

Engines

3

Operator

Federal Express Corporation

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Sydney Australi

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX99IA013

Nobody was injured.

A jammed spoiler control pulley system caused by a shop rag left in an area of recent maintenance. Neither the maintenance organization nor the mechanic responsible could be determined.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The first officer was the flying pilot and detected a right wing heavy condition with roll control difficulties during liftoff. The crew dumped fuel and returned for a landing. Post landing inspection showed that three of the five spoilers on top of the right wing were fully deployed. Mechanics found a general-purpose shop rag lodged in the spoiler control pulley system, jamming it in the deployed position. The pulley area where the mechanics found the rag was an open and unprotected area in the center body landing gear wheel well. The center gear doors are normally closed on the ground; however, maintenance personnel can open the doors to work in this area. The doors open and the center landing gear retracts forward into this area during normal operation. The last maintenance completed in this area was 2 days prior to the incident when a contract fuel systems repair company opened several lines in that area to check for leaks. Mechanics could not find any rags, so a supervisor brought rags from another hangar. The supervisor was positive that he provided diaper style rags rather than shop style rags. His company only used the diaper style rag because it was more absorbent than a regular shop rag. A mechanic for the carrier said they normally used colored general-purpose shop towels. They occasionally used white terrycloth towels. The airplane completed 9 flights through various line stations prior to the mishap. On a walk around inspection, mechanics do not normally open the wheel well doors and look at the spoiler pulley system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.