Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33315
Friday, August 25, 1995 12:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT EXPERIENCED AN UNCOMMANDED ROLL TO THE RIGHT DURING DESCENT FOR LANDING. THE 'B' AUTOPILOT SYSTEM WAS ENGAGED AT THE TIME. POST INCIDENT EXAMINATION SHOWED THE 'B' AUTOPILOT AILERON ACTUATOR HAD LOW ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE. TESTS BY BOEING COMMERCIAL AIRPLANE COMPANY HAVE SHOWN THAT LOW ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE WITHIN THE AUTOPILOT AILERON ACTUATOR WILL CAUSE UNCOMMANDED ROLL OCCURRENCES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOW ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF THE AUTOPILOT AILERON ACTUATOR FOR UNSPECIFIED REASONS WHICH RESULTED IN AN UNCOMMANDED ROLL TO THE RIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/25/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FORT LAUDERDALE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33315
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
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 1247 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 222
Weather Observation Facility ID FLL
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 26
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 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 50
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5021
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 25 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N373US
NTSB Number MIA95IA214
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 BOEING
Aircraft Model 737-3B7
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-3B7
Aircraft Serial Number 22952
Certified Max Gross Weight 135500
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 149
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Aug 25 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 31239
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOCIETY NATIONAL BANK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 900 EUCLID AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City CLEVELAND
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44101
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name USAIR, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2345 CRYSTAL DRIVE
Operator City ARLINGTON
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 22227
Operator Code USAA
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 PHL
Departure City PHILADELPHIA
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1027
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FLL
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --