Los Angeles Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Los Angeles, California 90045
Sunday, August 2, 1992 14:34 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT CREW WAS PERFORMING A NORMAL LANDING (MANUAL THROTTLES/AUTO GROUND SPOILER). THEY REPORTED THAT AFTER THE MAIN GEAR HAD TOUCHED DOWN, THE NOSE PITCHED UP 'VIOLENTLY'. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT TAIL SCRAPED THE RUNWAY SURFACE. DFDR DATA INDICATED THAT AFTER MAIN GEAR TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE WAS LOWERED AT AN EXCESSIVE RATE, FOLLOWED BY LARGE, AFT YOKE INPUT TO ARREST THE RATE OF NOSE SINK. THE NOSE GEAR CONTACTED THE RUNWAY WHILE THE AFT YOKE INPUT WAS MAINTAINED, AND THE GROUND SPOILERS EXTENDED TO 60 DEGREES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT WITH THIS SCENARIO, A PITCH UP OF THE NOSE WOULD OCCUR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S IMPROPER USE OF THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROLS (ELEVATOR) DURING THE LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT TAIL CONTACTING THE RUNWAY SURFACE.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/2/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1434
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LOS ANGELES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90045
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LOS ANGELES INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LAX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 126
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID LAX
Elevation of weather observation facility 126
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 149
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5040
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1612
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47450
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N803DE
NTSB Number ATL92IA151
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 48474
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 --
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address RODNEY SQUARE N.
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19890
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DELTA AIR LINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address HARTSFIELD INTL AIRPORT
Operator City ATLANTA
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30320
Operator Code DALA
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 PDX
Departure City PORTLAND
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1220
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 25
Runway Length 12091
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --