Miami Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Miami, Florida 33153
Friday, June 26, 1987 21:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

EAL FLIGHT 23 EXPERIENCED A RAPID DECOMPRESSION DURING DESCENT INTO MIAMI. FLIGHT 23 DEPARTED LAX WITH 3 FLIGHT CREW, 8 F/A AND 210 PAX. ON CLIMBOUT THE S/O OBSERVED THAT THE MANUAL OUTFLOW VALVE CONTROL WHEEL DID NOT MOVE TOWARD THE 1/2 CLOSED POSITION AS IT SHOULD HAVE. PRESS SYSTEM WAS BEING OPERATED IN SEMI-AUTO MODE. S/O TRIED STANDBY SYSTEM, THEN WENT TO MANUAL. HE OBSERVED THAT THE MANUAL CONTROL WHEEL WAS HARD TO MOVE. S/O USED MANUAL CONTROL TO CRUISE ALT, THEN TRIED STANDBY SYS WHICH HELD CABIN ALT. UPON DESCENT TO MIA, THE WHEEL MOVED RAPIDLY TO THE OPEN POSITION. S/O WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE OUTFLOW VALVE USING MANUAL SYSTEM-WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE. CREW DONNED 02 MASKS AND EXECUTED EMGY DESCNT T0 10,000, AT 5500 FPM. ACFT WAS LANDED WITH OUTFLOW VALVE FULL OPEN. ONE F/A SUFFERED RUPTURED EAR DRUM AND ONE 02 GENERATOR CANISTER CAUSED SMOKE IN CABIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 6/26/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2105
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MIAMI
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33153
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MIAMI INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MIA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 10
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 Night/Dark
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) 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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 220
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5079
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 1 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37192
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N391EA
NTSB Number DCA87IA037
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-10-30
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-10-30
Aircraft Serial Number N391EA
Certified Max Gross Weight 615500
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 240
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EASTERN AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address MIAMI INT'L. AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City MIAMI
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33148
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EASTERN AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code EALA
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 LAX
Departure City LOS ANGELES
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MIA
Destination City MIAMI
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 9L
Runway Length 10502
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --