Douglas DC-9-34 N928L

Summary

On 30 April 1998 at about 15:40 local time, a Douglas DC-9-34 registered N928L, operated by Trans World Airlines, was involved in an incident near St. Louis, Missouri, United States. 44 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

30 April 1998 at 15:40

Classification

Incident

Location

St. Louis, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

38.7603, -90.4201

Aircraft

Douglas DC-9-34

Registration

N928L

Category

Airplane

Operator

Trans World Airlines

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Toronto

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Not Reported

NTSB number

CHI98IA169

Nobody was injured.

the yaw rate gyro of the Stab Aug Computer had been installed in a reverse position that was 180 degrees opposite from the correct position.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight experienced a flight control malfunction after takeoff. The flight declared an emergency and returned to the airport safely with no damage to the aircraft or injuries to the crew or passengers. The Captain stated: 'After takeoff the aircraft began to yaw and roll in a cyclic fashion left and right. I switched the yaw damper off and on to ensure that the yaw damper was on. Yaw and roll continued and appeared to increase in its yaw amplitude as the airspeed increased... I declared an 'Emergency' and requested an immediate return for a landing with the emergency equipment standing by... The landing was made in a normal fashion without damage to the aircraft or injury to anyone on board. Total air time was 6 minutes.' The Stability Augmentation Computer, Part 2587826-3, S/N 0270890 was inspected at the TWA Maintenance Facility. The inspection determined that the yaw rate gyro of the Stab Aug Computer had been installed in a reverse position that was 180 degrees opposite from the correct position.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.