Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Memphis International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Memphis, Tennessee 38118
Saturday, August 7, 1999 13:45 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While on final approach with full flaps selected and indicated, the left inboard trailing edge flap and vane separated. The autopilot was disconnected and approximately 1/2 right aileron input was needed to counter the left banking tendency. The landing was reported to be firm but with less 'controllability'. Structural damage occurred to the left side of the fuselage due to flap and/or vane contact. The four H-11 type bolts of the forward attach point of the outboard hinge of the left inboard trailing edge flap failed due to stress corrosion cracking. Chromium was detected in the fracture origin of bolts Nos. 1-3; no determination was made as to why chromium was present. The two H-11 type bolts of the aft attach point of the outboard hinge of the left inboard trailing edge flap failed due to ductile overload. No material or processing discrepancies were found. H-11 bolts are susceptible to stress corrosion cracking. The FDR readout indicated that the maximum left roll was 8.09 degrees and flap extension speed was exceeded on landing No. 1 for approximately 13 seconds when the flaps were extending from 16 to 20 degrees. No flap overspeed protection is afforded in that range.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The inadequate design by the airplane manufacturer for using bolts to secure the inboard trailing edge flap that are susceptible to stress corrosion cracking. Also, the stress corrosion cracking failure of the four H-11 bolts that secure the left inboard trailing edge flap to the outboard hinge which allowed the separation of the flap and vane while on final approach.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/7/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1345 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | MEMPHIS |
| Event State | TENNESSEE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 38118 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MEM |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 4 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 360 |
| Airport Elevation | 335 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MEM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 335 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 4 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 36 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| 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 | 5 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1878 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 7 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1506 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 19 2001 4:45AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N68058 |
| NTSB Number | MIA99LA220 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 121: Air Carrier |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | McDonnell Douglas |
| Aircraft Model | DC-10-10F |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | DC-10-10F |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 46705 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 449000 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 3 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 6 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 10 |
| Airframe Hours | 40552 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | RODNEY SQ., N., C/O CORP TRUST |
| Aircraft Owner City | WILMINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19890 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | FEDERAL EXPRESS CORPORATION |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 3131 DEMOCRAT |
| Operator City | MEMPHIS |
| Operator State | TN |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | 38118 |
| Operator Code | FDEA |
| 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 | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | LAX |
| Departure City | LOS ANGELES |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 845 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | MEM |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 17 2004 2:31PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\HAMG |
| 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 | -- |