Douglas Int. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charlotte, North Carolina 28219
Wednesday, April 15, 1992 15:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT WAS ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL FOR RUNWAY 18L, WITH THE CAPTAIN AT THE CONTROLS. THE FLT CREW REPORTED AN AIRSPEED STAGNATION, FOLLOWED BY A NOTICEABLE DECELERATION, AFTER THE 'V1' CALLOUT. THE CAPTAIN REJECTED THE TAKEOFF, HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT OVERRAN THE RUNWAY. THE CREW REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT NEVER REACHED V1, SINCE USAIR PROCEDURES STATE THAT THE PILOT NOT FLYING WILL INITIATE THE V1 CALL 5 KNOTS PRIOR TO COMPUTED V1. ROTATION SPEED (VR) WAS EQUAL TO V1 FOR THE TAKEOFF CONDITIONS. A READOUT OF THE CVR INDICATED THAT THE F/O CALLED 'V1', THEN 'R' (ROTATE) PRIOR TO THE ABORT. DFDR READOUT SHOWED THAT THERE WAS A SMALL DROP IN AIRSPEED (1.92 KNOTS) AT 128.63 KNOTS, HOWEVER, THE AIRSPEED SUBSEQUENTLY CLIMBED TO 137.8 KNOTS. COMPUTED V1/VR WAS 132 KTS, V2 WAS 137 KTS. THE FLT CREW STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT ROTATE, HOWEVER WITNESSES (INCLUDING A TOWER CONTROLLER) REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID ROTATE PRIOR TO THE ABORT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS FAILED TO EXPLAIN THE REPORTED DECELERATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S DECISION TO REJECT THE TAKEOFF AT A SPEED IN EXCESS OF V1, RESULTING IN AN INADEQUATE DISTANCE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/15/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1505
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHARLOTTE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28219
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DOUGLAS INT.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CLT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 160
Airport Elevation 749
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1554 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2300
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 60
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5015
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46553
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N495US
NTSB Number ATL92IA080
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 FOKKER
Aircraft Model F.28 MK4000
Aircraft Series Identifier F.28 MK400
Aircraft Serial Number 11168
Certified Max Gross Weight 73000
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 70
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Sep 10 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1228
Airframe Hours 23297
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 8300
Aircraft Owner City STAMFORD
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06904
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name USAIR
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1505
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JAX
Destination City JACKSONVILLE
Destination State FL
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 18
Runway Length 7845
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --