Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Caribbean
Wednesday, June 29, 1994 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE EN ROUTE THE CAPTAIN WENT TO THE MAIN CABIN FOR A REST PERIOD AND THE RESERVE FIRST OFFICER TOOK THE CAPTAIN'S SEAT. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO BRING A BOX OF BEVERAGES FOR THE FLIGHT CREW. SHE ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THEM ON THE FOOTREST OF THE CENTER OBSERVER'S SEAT AS DIRECTED BY THE RESERVE FIRST OFFICER. SHE HAD TROUBLE DOING THIS AND THE RESERVE FIRST OFFICER REALIZED THE FIRST OFFICER'S SEAT WAS IN THE WAY. HE REACHED ACROSS THE COCKPIT AND WITHOUT THE FIRST OFFICER'S KNOWLEDGE ACTIVATED THE HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT SWITCH FOR THE FIRST OFFICER'S SEAT MOVING IT FORWARD. THE FIRST OFFICER'S LEGS WERE CROSSED AND CONTACTED THE CONTROL COLUMN PUSHING IT FORWARD. THE LIMITATIONS OF THE AUTOPILOT SYSTEM WERE EXCEEDED AND THE AUTOPILOT TURNED OFF. THE AIRCRAFT RESPONDED TO THE FORWARD CONTROL COLUMN INPUT AND PITCHED DOWN. THIS RESULTED IN INJURIES TO PASSENGERS AND CREW. THE FIRST OFFICER TOOK MANUAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER AUTOPILOT DISCONNECT AND RETURNED THE AIRCRAFT TO LEVEL FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE RESERVE FIRST OFFICER'S UNAUTHORIZED MOVEMENT OF THE FIRST OFFICER'S SEAT DURING FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN THE FIRST OFFICER'S LEGS BEING FORCED AGAINST THE CONTROL COLUMN, PUSHING IT FORWARD, AND DISCONNECTING THE AUTOPILOT. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT PITCHING DOWN AND SUBJECTING THE OCCUPANTS TO NEGATIVE G FORCES, RESULTING IN INJURIES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/29/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 23
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CARIBBEAN
Event State CARIBBEAN SEA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 100 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID MKJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 200
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 15
Injury Total None 80
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 17
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 294
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 29 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Nov 26 2002 3:25PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1752K
NTSB Number MIA94FA169
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model MD-11
Aircraft Series Identifier MD-11
Aircraft Serial Number 48421
Certified Max Gross Weight 618000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 289
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 12522
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 619616
Aircraft Owner City DFW AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75216
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code AALA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KMIA
Departure City MIAMI
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 2333
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SAEZ
Destination City BUENOS AIRES
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --