Dfw Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dfw Airport, Texas 75261
Thursday, October 13, 1994 21:31 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A RIGHT ROLL AND YAW. THE CREW ARRESTED THE YAW AND ROLL AND RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. FOLLOWING THE LANDING, AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT HAND SPOILER CONTROL ARM HAD BECOME ENTANGLED IN THE RIGHT AILERON CABLE BUS GUARD. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE AILERON BUS GUARD AND A REVIEW OF THE ENGINEERING DRAWINGS REVEALED THAT THE CABLE BUS GUARD HAD BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY (REVERSED 180 DEGREES FROM THE CORRECT INSTALLATION).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER MAINTENANCE BY UNKNOWN PERSONS RESULTING IN A JAMMED SPOILER. A FACTOR WAS THE REVERSED AILERON FITTING.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 10/13/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2131
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DFW AIRPORT
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75261
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DFW AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DFW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 603
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2100 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DFW
Elevation of weather observation facility 603
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5042
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 14 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1758B
NTSB Number FTW95IA023
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
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 48527
Certified Max Gross Weight 602500
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 240
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Oct 13 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 8642
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4333 AMON CARTER BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City FORT WORTH
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76155
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name U. S. AFRICA AIRWAYS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 11180 SUNRISE VALLEY DR.
Operator City RESTON
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 22091
Operator Code
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IAD
Destination City WASHINGTON
Destination State DC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 36
Runway Length 11388
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --