Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Detroit Metro/Wayne Cnty Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Romulus, Michigan 48242
Monday, December 3, 1990 13:45 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
"THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED 1/17/2008."
ON DECEMBER 3, 1990, AT 1345 EST, NORTHWEST FLIGHT 1482, A DC-9 (N3313L), AND NORTHWEST FLIGHT 299, A BOEING 727 (N278US), COLLIDED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAY 09/27 AND 03C/21C IN DENSE FOG AT DETRIOT METROPOLITAN/WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT, ROMULUS, MI. AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION, THE B-727 WAS ON ITS TAKEOFF ROLL, AND THE DC-9 HAD JUST TAXIED ONTO THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. THE B-727 WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE DC-9 WAS DESTROYED. SEVEN OF THE 40 PASSENGERS AND 1CREWMEMBER ABOARD THE DC-9 RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. NONE OF THE 146 PASSENGERS AND 8 CREWMEMBERS ABOARD THE B-727 WERE INJURED. (SEE NTSB/AAR-91/05 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION)
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
LACK OF PROPER CREW COORDN, INCLUDING VIRTUAL REVERSAL OF ROLES BY THE DC-9 PLTS, WHICH LED TO THEIR FAILURE TO STOP TAXIING & ALERT GND CTLR OF THEIR POSITIONAL UNCERTAINTY IN A TIMELY MANNER BFR & AFTER INTRUDING ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY. CONTRIBUING TO CAUSE OF ACDNT WERE (1) DEFICIENCIES IN ATC SVCS PROVIDED BY DETROIT TWR, INCLUDING FAILURE OF GND CTLR TO TAKE TIMELY ACTN TO ALERT LCL CTLR TO PSBL RWY INCURSION, INADQT VIS OBS, FAILURE TO USE PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRNS IN LOW-VIS CONDS, & ISSUANCE OF INAPPROPRIATE & CONFUSING TAXI INSTRNS COMPOUNDED BY INADQ BACKUP SUPERVISION FOR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE OF STAFF ON DUTY; (2) DEFICIENCIES IN SURFACE MARKINGS, SIGNAGE & LGTG AT ARPT & FAILURE OF FAA SURVEILLANCE TO DETECT OR CORRECT ANY OF THESE DEFICIENCIES; (3) FAILURE OF NORTHWEST AIRLINES TO PROVIDE ADQT COCKPIT RESOURCE MAN- AGEMENT TRNG TO LINE AIRCREWS. CONTRIBUTING TO FATALITIES WAS INOPERABILITY OF DC-9 INTERNAL TAILCONE RLS MECHANISM. CONTRIBUTING TO NUMBER & SEVERITY OF INJURIES WAS FAILURE OF CREW OF DC-9 TO PROPERLY EXECUTE THE PSGR EVACUATION.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/3/1990 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1345 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | ROMULUS |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48242 |
| Event Date Year | 1990 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | DETROIT METRO/WAYNE CNTY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | DTW |
| 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 | 639 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1348 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DTW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 639 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Obscured |
| 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) | 8 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| 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 | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | 8 |
| Injury Total Minor | 26 |
| Injury Total None | 154 |
| Injury Total Serious | 10 |
| Injury Total All | 44 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1390 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 3 1990 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1415 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 41950 |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 7 2001 12:43PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3313L | N278US |
| NTSB Number | DCA91MA010A | DCA91MA010B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 121: Air Carrier | Part 121: Air Carrier |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | MCDONNELL DOUGLAS | BOEING |
| Aircraft Model | DC-9-14 | 727-251 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | DC-9-14 | 727-251 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 45708 | 21157 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 90700 | 191500 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 85 | 134 |
| Number of Engines | 2 | 3 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 62253 | 37710 |
| ELT Installed | No | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | NORTHWEST AIRLINES | NORTHWEST AIRLINES |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | MINNEAPOLIS /ST PAUL AIRPORT | MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL AIRPORT |
| Aircraft Owner City | ST PAUL | ST PAUL |
| Aircraft Owner State | MN | MN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | ||
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 55111 | 55111 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- | -- |
| Operator Name | ||
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | ||
| Operator City | ||
| Operator State | ||
| Operator Country | ||
| Operator Zip code | ||
| Operator Code | ||
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Scheduled | Scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Unknown | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | ||
| Departure City | ||
| Departure State | ||
| Departure Country | ||
| Departure Time | 0 | 0 |
| Departure Time Zone | ||
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PIT | MEM |
| Destination City | PITTSBURG | MEMPHIS |
| Destination State | PA | TN |
| Destination Country | ||
| Specific Phase of Flight | Taxi | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 20 2002 12:42PM | Dec 20 2002 12:42PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 21C | 3C |
| Runway Length | 8500 | 8500 |
| Runway Width | 200 | 200 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |