Dfw Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mexico City Mexico
Friday, March 29, 1985 14:11 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF A 27 FOOT TALL LIGHT POLE WAS STRUCK BY THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR 1,677 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RWY. ACFT GROSS WEIGHT DICTATED A 5 DEG FLAP TAKEOFF AND COMPANY PERFORMANCE DATA AUTHORIZED DEPARTURE ON EITHER RWY 5R OR 23L. THE CREW PERFORMED AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF ON RWY 23R RESULTING IN 10,415 FT OF USABLE RWY INSTEAD OF THE PROGRAMED 13,190 FT ON 5R/23L. THE CAPTAIN WAS FLYING THE ACFT BUT NEITHER THE COPILOT OR THE FLIGHT ENGINEER RECOGNIZED THE ERROR OR INITIATED REMEDIAL ACTION. POLE CONTACT RESULTED IN A BLOWN #4 TIRE AND DAMAGE TO THE GEAR ASS'Y AND TRAILING EDGE FLAP. THE ACFT LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT DFW ARPT, THE INTENDED DEST. DENSITY ALT WAS APRX 10,000 FT MSL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/29/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1411
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MEXICO CITY
Event State --
Event Country MEXICO
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport DFW
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 Witness
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 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 10000
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 152
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5051
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 29 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29673
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2003 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N701AA
NTSB Number FTW85IA168
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 BOEING
Aircraft Model 727-200B
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-200B
Aircraft Serial Number 22459
Certified Max Gross Weight 191000
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 144
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 11501
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 61916 DFW INTER APRT
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 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 MEX
Departure City MEXICO CITY
Departure State MX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1410
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DFW
Destination City DFW INTER ARPT
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 11387
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --