McDonnell Douglas MD-88 N990DL

Summary

On 18 July 2010 at about 02:26 local time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-88 registered N990DL, operated by Delta Airlines Inc, was involved in an incident near Atlanta, Georgia, United States. 111 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 July 2010 at 02:26

Classification

Incident

Location

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Int (ATL)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

McDonnell Douglas MD-88

Registration

N990DL

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Delta Airlines Inc

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Atlanta → Hartford

Aircraft damage

Minor

NTSB number

ENG10IA041

Nobody was injured.

The cause of the right wing landing light switch fire is undetermined.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The MD-88 declared an emergency and returned to the departure airport after the crew smelled an electrical odor during the climb to cruise. After landing the crew observed small flames emanating from the Captain’s side of the glareshield. A maintenance inspection revealed that the right wing landing light switch displayed evidence of severe heat damage and no other source for the fire could be identified. No anomalies with respect to switch installation were noted by the personnel who removed the switch. The “Right Wing Landing Light” (B1-15) and “Right Wing Landing Light Control” (B1-16) circuit breakers were also found to be open following the event. A Systems Group was formed and the Group examined the switch at the Eaton facility in Milwaukee, WI. The switch was severely fire damaged with the greatest amount of thermal damage and contact degradation occurring at the B1 contact. The cause of the switch fire could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.