William P. Hobby Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77061
Thursday, March 23, 1989 7:48 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 12R, BUT A TAKEOFF WAS MADE ON RUNWAY 17. THE SOUTH 2,200 FEET OF RUNWAY 17 WAS CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION. THIS WAS NOTED BY NOTAMS AND ATIS AND THE CREWMEMBERS WERE AWARE OF IT. AS THE AIRPLANE ROTATED, THE LOWER PARTS OF IT IMPACTED SECTIONS OF WOODED BARRIERS THAT HAD BEEN PLACED ACROSS RUNWAY 17. THE CREW WAS IMFORMED OF POSSIBLE DAMAGE AND PROCEEDED TO DESTINATION WHERE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT WAS WAITING AT LANDING. AIRPLANE DAMAGE WAS MINOR. SEVENTY THREE DAYS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, ANOTHER AIR CARRIER AIRPLANE WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 12R AND ALSO INADVERTENTLY DEPARTED ON RUNWAY 17.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CREW'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AND TO INSURE THAT THEY WERE ON THE PROPER RUNWAY PRIOR TO INITIATION OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 748
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77061
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WILLIAM P. HOBBY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HOU
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 47
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 715 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 24
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 315
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 98
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5013
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 23 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 902
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40187
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N447AA
NTSB Number FTW89IA070
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 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-9
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9
Aircraft Serial Number 49473
Certified Max Gross Weight 140000
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 172
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 No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONN. NAT. BANK OWNER & TRUSTE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 777 MAIN ST. BOND & TRUSTEE
Aircraft Owner City HARTFORD
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06115
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMERICAN AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 619616
Operator City DFW AIRPORT
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75261
Operator Code AA
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 HOU
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 748
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DFW
Destination City DFW AIRPORT
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 19 2001 5:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --