Atlanta Hartsfield Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlanta, Georgia 30320
Friday, August 5, 1988 12:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

JUST AFTER APPLYING TAKEOFF THRUST, THE CAPT NOTED AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE AND VIBRATION. THE TAKEOFF WAS ABORTED AND THE AIRPLANE RETURNED TO THE GATE. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT A SECOND STAGE FAN BLADE HAD PENETRATED THE ENGINE CASE AND WAS LODGED IN THE ENGINE COWLING. AD 87-14-01 REQUIRES ULTRASONIC INSPECTION OF THE FAN BLADES DURING THE FIRST SHOP VISIT AFTER JULY 27, 1987 AND REINSPECTION THEREAFTER AT INTERVALS OF 3,000 CYCLES TO 10,000 CYCLES. THE ENGINE HAD NOT BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE MAY 2, 1986. IT HAD ACCUMULATED 3,485 CYCLES SINCE THE LAST SHOP VISIT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/5/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1225
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ATLANTA
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30320
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ATLANTA 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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 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 84
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5042
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 5 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37459
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:01PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N775NC
NTSB Number ATL88IA227
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-9-51
Aircraft Series Identifier DC9-51
Aircraft Serial Number 47785
Certified Max Gross Weight 110000
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 100
Number of Engines 2
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 Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GATX LEASING CORP
Aircraft Owner Street Address FOUR EMBARCADERO CTR #2200
Aircraft Owner City SAN FRANCISCO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94111
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NORTHWEST AIRLINES, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL 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 Only
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 1225
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MSP
Destination City MINNEAPOLIS
Destination State MN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 28 2001 1:00PM
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 --