Newark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newark, New Jersey
Tuesady, July 25, 1989 20:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CREW OF CONTINENTAL AIRLINES FLIGHT 354 EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF THE LEFT HYDRAULIC SYSTEM AND STARTED TO LOSE HYDRAULIC QUANTITY FROM THE RIGHT SYSTEM. ANTICIPATING A LOSS OF BOTH SYSTEMS, THE CREW SHUT DOWN BOTH PUMPS AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT NEWARK INTL AIRPORT, NJ. THE LANDING WAS NORMAL UNTIL AT 80 KNOTS AIRSPEED, THEN THE LEFT TIRES BLEW OUT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO A HALT 30 FT LEFT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

RUPTURE OF A FLEXIBLE HIGH PRESSURE HYDRAULIC LINE IN THE 'A' HYDRAULIC SYSTEM, DUE TO CHAFING OF THE STEEL BRAID COVERING, WHICH ALLOWED THE SYSTEM PRESSURE AND QUANTITY TO BE COMPLETELY DEPLETED.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 7/25/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2015
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEWARK
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NEWARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EWR
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 18
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 Dusk
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 26
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 89
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5020
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 26 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1035
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40445
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N556NY
NTSB Number NYC89IA176
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-9-30
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9-30
Aircraft Serial Number 47423
Certified Max Gross Weight 109000
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 110
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jul 24 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 46652
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TEXAS AIR LEASING CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 333 CLAY SUITE 4040
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77002
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2929 ALLEN PARKWAY
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77019
Operator Code CALA
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 No
Departure Airport Code ORD
Departure City CHICAGO
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 22L
Runway Length 9300
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --