Baltimore-Washington Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Baltimore, Maryland 21240
Tuesady, January 2, 1990 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SMOKE ENTERED THE FLIGHT DECK AND CABIN DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AND THE FLIGHT DIVERTED TO AND LANDED AT BWI. AFTER THE FLIGHT CAME TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY, THE CAPTAIN ORDERED THE EMERGENCY EVACUATION OF THE AIRCRAFT. ALL THE EMERGENCY EXITS WERE USED, EXCEPT THE OVERWING EXITS. WHEN THE OVERWING EXITS WERE DEPLOYED, THEY BLEW OVER THE REAR INSTEAD OF OVER THE FRONT OF THE WING AND WERE DEEMED UNUSABLE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE NO. 1 AIR CONDITIONING MODULE OVERHEATED AND OIL RESIDUE ON IT WAS THE SMOKE SOURCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVACUATION OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/2/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 7
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BALTIMORE
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21240
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BWI
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 146
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2350 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BWI
Elevation of weather observation facility 146
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 7
Injury Total None 247
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 10
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1685
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 2 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 30
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43178
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N109AA
NTSB Number BFO90FA017
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 DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-10
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-10
Aircraft Serial Number 46509
Certified Max Gross Weight 413000
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 303
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMERICAN AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address DALLAS-FT. WORTH AIRPORT
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75261
Operator Code AALA
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 DFW
Departure City DALLAS
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 2008
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LGA
Destination City NEW YORK
Destination State NY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 19 2001 4:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 28
Runway Length 9452
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --