Dfw Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dfw Airport, Texas 75261
Sunday, January 10, 1988 7:28 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE DEPLANING, A PASSENGER (PAX) FROM THE 1ST ROW OF THE CABIN WAS REMOVING CARRY-ON LUGGAGE FROM A COMPARTMENT IN THEFORWARD BULKHEAD, ADJACENT TO THE 1L ENTRY DOOR, AS OTHER PAX WERE EXITING VIA THE 2L DOOR. NONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE MONITORING THE FORWARD (1L) DOOR, WHICH WAS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH COMPANY PROCEDURES. UNEXPECTANTLY, A GATE AGENT OPENED THE 1L DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. AS IT MOVED INWARD & UPWARD, THE PAX'S HEAD & LEFT SHOULDER WERE CAUGHT BETWEEN THE DOOR & THE FORWARD BULKHEAD, CAUSING HIM TO BE CARRIED UP WITH THE DOOR. HE THEN FELL TO THE CABIN FLOOR AS THE DOOR WENT FULLY OPEN, SUSTAINING A FRACTURED ARM. THE COMPARTMENT WAS NORMALLY USED BY CREW ONLY, BUT WAS UTILIZED IN THIS CASE DUE TO LACK OF OTHER SPACE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

UNEXPECTED OPENING OF THE IL DOOR, WHICH CAUGHT THE PASSENGER BETWEEN IT AND THE BULKHEAD AS THE DOOR MOVED INWARD AND UPWARD. A SECONDARY CAUSE WAS THE FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO FOLLOW COMPANY PROCEDURES REQUIRING THEM TO GUARD ALL ENTRY DOORS DURING THE DEPLANING PROCESS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/10/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 728
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City DFW AIRPORT
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75261
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DFW
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DFW
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 603
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
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 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) 7
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 Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 --
Injury Total None 290
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2290
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 13 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40173
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:29AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N142AA
NTSB Number FTW88LA050
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 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-10
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-10
Aircraft Serial Number 46714
Certified Max Gross Weight 555000
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 313
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 619616
Aircraft Owner City DFW AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 752619616
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 International
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 HNL
Departure City HONOLULU
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code DFW
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
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 --