John L Kennedy Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jamaica, New York 11430
Tuesady, March 12, 1991 9:06 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BFR FLT, THE FLT ENG (F/E) HAD CALCULATED 'V' SPDS & HORIZONTAL STABILIZER TRIM SETTING FOR TAKEOFF, BUT NEITHER THE CAPT NOR THE 1ST OFFICER (F/O) HAD VERIFIED THEM. DRG ROTATION FOR TAKEOFF, THE CAPT NOTED THAT THE FORCED NEEDED TO PULL THE YOKE AFT WAS GREATER THAN NML & THAT THE ACFT WOULD NOT FLY (AT THAT SPD). SUBSEQUENTLY, HE ABORTED THE ATMTD TAKEOFF. REALIZING THE ACFT WOULD NOT STOP ON THE REMAINING RWY, HE ELECTED TO STEER IT TO THE RGT TO AVOID HITTING TFC ON A HWY NR THE DEP END. THE ACFT STRUCK ILS EQUIP; THE LNDG GEAR COLLAPSED & ALL 4 ENGS TORE AWAY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. INV REVEALED THE F/E HAD IMPROPERLY COMPUTED THE TAKEOFF DATA. HE HAD CALCULATED THE 'V' SPDS & HORIZONTAL STABILIZER TRIM SETTING FOR 242,000 LBS; HOWEVER, THE ACTUAL TAKEOFF WT WAS 342,000 LBS. ROTATION SPD (VR) FOR THIS WT WAS 28 KTS ABV THE SPD THAT WAS USED. INV REVEALED SHORTCOMINGS IN THE OPERATOR'S FLIGHTCREW TRAINING PROGRAM & QUESTIONABLE SCHEDULING OF QUALIFIED (BUT MARGINALLY EXPERIENCED) CREW MEMBERS FOR THE ACDNT FLT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, IN THAT THE FLIGHT ENGINEER MISCALCULATED (MISJUDGED) THE AIRCRAFT'S GROSS WEIGHT BY 100,000 LBS AND PROVIDED THE CAPTAIN WITH IMPROPER TAKEOFF SPEEDS; AND IMPROPER SUPERVISION BY THE CAPTAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: IMPROPER TRIM SETTING PROVIDED TO THE CAPTAIN BY THE FLIGHT ENGINEER, INADEQUATE MONITORING OF THE PERFORMANCE DATA BY THE FIRST OFFICER, AND THE COMPANY MANAGEMENT'S INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE OF THE OPERATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/12/1991
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 906
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City JAMAICA
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11430
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JOHN L KENNEDY INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JFK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 25
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 12
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 907 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID JFK
Elevation of weather observation facility 12
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1417
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45211
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N730PL
NTSB Number NYC91FA086
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-8-62
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-8-62
Aircraft Serial Number 46161
Certified Max Gross Weight 353000
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 7
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 50145
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID M. CLARK TRUSTEE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3800 RODNEY PARHAM
Aircraft Owner City LITTLE ROCK
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72212
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name AIR TRANSPORT INTERNATIONAL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City LITTLE ROCK
Operator State AR
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code 72212
Operator Code QGQA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 905
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BRU
Destination City BRUSSELS, BLGM
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 19 2004 3:34PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 4
Runway Length 11351
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --