William B. Hartsfield Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlanta, Georgia 30320
Tuesady, March 13, 1990 22:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE RIGHT GEAR INBOARD TIRE BLEW OUT. BOTH RIGHT TIRES WERE DESTROYED BY TAKE OFF ROLL FORCES. CLIMBING THROUGH 19000 FEET THE RIGHT HYDRAULIC SYSTEM INDICATED ZERO PRESSURE & QUANTITY. DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING THE LEFT HYDRAULIC SYSTEM DEPLETED. AFTER LANDING THE LEFT BRAKES LOCKED SINCE ANTI SKID WAS INOPERATIVE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PRIOR DAMAGE TO THE TIRE WAS RECORDED. OPERATOR'S DAILY SERVICE INSPECTION REQUIRES THAT TIRE PRESSURE BE CHECKED WITH A TIRE GAUGE. TWO ADDITIONAL BLOWN TIRES OCCURRED DURING TAKE OFF FROM THE SAME OPERATOR'S STATION WITHIN 3 MONTHS. EVIDENCE OF TIRE UNDER INFLATION WAS DISCOVERED AFTER THE THIRD INCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE SERVICING OF THE AIRPLANE BY OPERATOR MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WHICH RESULTED IN THE BURST TIRE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM LINES WHICH WERE FRACTURED BY DEBRIS FROM THE BURST TIRE AND A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/13/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2250
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ATLANTA
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30320
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WILLIAM B. HARTSFIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ATL
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 1026
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2250 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 11
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 59
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5021
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 13 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42808
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8951E
NTSB Number ATL90IA076
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 DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-9-31
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9-31
Aircraft Serial Number 47187
Certified Max Gross Weight 106000
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 101
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FIRST FIDELITY BANK OF N.J
Aircraft Owner Street Address 765 BROAD ST.
Aircraft Owner City NEWARK
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07101
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EASTERN AIR LINES, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Operator City MIAMI
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 331480001
Operator Code EALA
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 ATL
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2159
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TLH
Destination City TALAHASSEE
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 27R
Runway Length 11889
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --