Douglas DC-10-30F N303FE

Summary

On 6 March 1998 at about 08:00 local time, a Douglas DC-10-30F registered N303FE was involved in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee, United States. 8 people were on board. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 March 1998 at 08:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Memphis International (MEM)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Douglas DC-10-30F

Registration

N303FE

Category

Airplane

Engines

3

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Diego → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA98LA096

Injuries not recorded.

ground personnel (an equipment loader) failed to follow established written procedures (ramp safety policy), resulting in a pressurized entry door being opened before it was fully depressurized, subsequently injurying the equipment loader. The malfunctioning outflow valve was a related factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

An equipment loader attempted to activate the entry door of an airplane with a presurized cabin, before the airplane rotating beacon was turned off. As the cabin was being depressurized, the door opened, and the equipment loader was knocked off the loader. Company ramp safety policy stated to not approach an arriving aircraft until it had come to a complete stop at its parking position, the engines shut down, the wheels chocked, and the red rotating beacons turned off. Investigation revealed the aircraft had a malfunction of the pressurization outflow valve, while conducting engine shutdown procedures on the parking ramp.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.