Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Friday, August 10, 1990 14:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON AUGUST 17, 1990, AT APPROXIMATELY 1415 CDT, WHILE CONDUCTING A WALK AROUND INSPECTION IN PREPARATION FOR A DOMESTIC REVENUE FLIGHT, THE FIRST OFFICER DISCOVERED A FOUR FOOT SCRAPE ON THE AFT BELLY OF AIRBUS A320-211, N306US. THE TAIL STRIKE RENDERED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. NO CREW OR PASSENGERS REPORTED INJURIES. THE EXACT TIME AND PLACE OF THE EVENT WAS NOT VERIFIED. THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT WAS NORTHWEST FLIGHT 132, OPERATING FROM ST PAUL, MINNESOTA, TO CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS A PASSENGER REVENUE FLIGHT WITH NINE CREW AND 150 PASSENGERS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT(S) ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROTATE TO AN EXCESSIVE NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, EITHER DURING A TAKEOFF OR LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/10/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60666
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1415
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 159
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5057
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 10 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N306US
NTSB Number DCA90IA048
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 Airbus Industrie
Aircraft Model A320-211
Aircraft Series Identifier A320-211
Aircraft Serial Number 60
Certified Max Gross Weight 162040
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 182
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 --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORTHWEST AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL INTL ARPT
Aircraft Owner City ST PAUL
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55111
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NORTHWEST AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL INTL ARPT
Operator City ST PAUL
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55111
Operator Code NWAA
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MSP
Departure City ST PAUL
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone 7
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ORD
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --