Dallas-Fort Worth Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dfw Airport, Texas 75261
Saturday, May 21, 1988 16:12 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A REJECTED TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED WHEN THE SLAT DISAGREE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE TAKEOFF WARNING HORN SOUNDED AT 166 KNOTS (V1). THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF, BUT THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED TO 178 KNOTS GROUND SPEED BEFORE IT BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THE DECELERATION WAS NORMAL UNTIL 130 KNOTS WHERE AN UNEXPECTED RAPID DECAY IN THE DECELERATION OCCURRED. THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AT 95 KNOTS, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP 1,100 FEET BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY. EIGHT OF THE TEN BRAKE SETS FAILED. POST-ACCIDENT EXAM OF THE BRAKES REVEALED THAT EXCESSIVE BRAKE WEAR OCCURRED DURING THE REJECTED TAKEOFF. TESTING SHOWED THAT DC-10 WORN BRAKES HAVE A MUCH GREATER WEAR RATE DURING AN RTO. THE FAA DOES NOT REQUIRE WORN BRAKE TESTING. DOUGLAS DID NOT USE BRAKE WEAR DATA FROM RTO CERTIFICATION TESTS TO SET MORE CONSERVATIVE BRAKE WEAR REPLACEMENT LIMITS. NEW BRAKES WERE USED FOR THOSE TESTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1612
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DFW AIRPORT
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75261
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DALLAS-FORT WORTH INT'L
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1654 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DFW
Elevation of weather observation facility 603
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 6
Injury Total None 246
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 8
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 373
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 21 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1617
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36078
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N136AA
NTSB Number FTW88NA106
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-10-30
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-10-30
Aircraft Serial Number 47846
Certified Max Gross Weight 568000
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 259
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection May 19 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 61322
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FIRST SECURITY BANK OF UTAH
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 619616
Aircraft Owner City DFW AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75261
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMERICAN AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1612
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FRA
Destination City FRANKFURT
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35L
Runway Length 11388
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --