Detroit Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Detroit, Michigan
Wednesday, August 7, 1985 20:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON AUGUST 7,1985 AT 2000 EDT, A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-10-10 N111AA REGISTERED TO AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC., HAD A PIECE OF THE ENGINE EXIT THE ENGINE CASE AND COWLING. ON CLIMB TO CRUISE AT DETROIT AIRPORT, DETROIT, MICHIGAN, WHILE ON A PASSENGER FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AND THE CREW AND 184 PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT DETROIT, MICHIGAN ON AUGUST 7,1985 AT 1955 EDT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/7/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City DETROIT
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DETROIT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DTW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 30
Degrees magnetic from airport 300
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1957 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID DET
Elevation of weather observation facility 626
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 195
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5046
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 7 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29314
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N111AA
NTSB Number CHI85IA339
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-10-10
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-10-10
Aircraft Serial Number 46511
Certified Max Gross Weight 700000
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 345
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jul 25 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 110
Airframe Hours 16031
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 61616
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75261
Operator Code AALA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? Yes
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DTW
Departure City DETROIT
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1955
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ORD
Destination City CHICAGO
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --