Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Abilene, Texas 79602
Wednesday, March 29, 1995 17:26 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE FIRST OFFICER TOLD THE CAPTAIN HE WAS ILL. THE CAPTAIN ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. LATER, THE FIRST OFFICER SAID HE WAS FEELING BETTER AND RESUMED FLYING THE AIRPLANE. ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER, THE SYMPTOMS RETURNED. THE CAPTAIN ASSUMED AIRCRAFT CONTROL AGAIN AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. AS THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING DIVERTED TO ABILENE, TEXAS, A PASSENGER BEGAN CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION. THE FIRST OFFICER WAS LATER PRONOUNCED DEAD AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL. AUTOPSY PROTOCOL LISTED 'ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE' AS THE CAUSE OF DEATH. A FEDERAL AIR SURGEON SAID THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF 'OLD MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION' AND 'HIGH PROBABILITY OF RECENT MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INCAPACITATION OF THE FIRST OFFICER DUE TO A HEART ATTACK.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/29/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1726
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ABILENE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79602
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1735 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ABI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1790
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1539
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 64
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5018
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 29 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1633
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5342L
NTSB Number FTW95IA148
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-9-32
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9-32
Aircraft Serial Number 47278
Certified Max Gross Weight 108000
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 115
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Mar 28 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 64524
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MCDONNELL DOUGLAS CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3855 LAKEWOOD BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City LONG BEACH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90846
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GRAND AIRWAYS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6005 LAS VEGAS BLVD, SO.
Operator City LAS VEGAS
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89119
Operator Code AENA
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 Domestic
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 PHX
Departure City PHOENIX
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DFW
Destination City DALLAS
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
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 --