West Palm Beach Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Palm Bch, Florida 33406
Sunday, September 8, 1985 11:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING TAKE OFF ROLL THE #4 ENGINE FAILED CAUSING CATOSTROPHIC DESTRUCTION OF THE ENGINE. DURING SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION THE LEFT VGV ACTUATOR PIN WAS FOUND TO BE MISSING. WITHOUT THIS PIN THE VGV ARM8 ARE AYSEMETRICALLY DRIVEN. THE VGV ARMS WERE FOUND BROKEN IN HIGH STRESS LOW CYCLE DRIVEN. THE VGV ARMS WERE FOUND BROKEN IN HIGH STRESS LOW CYCLE FATIGUE. THE HIGH PRESSURE COMPRESSER BLADES WERE FAILED IN LOW STRESS HIGH CYCLE FATIGUE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 9/8/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1120
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WEST PALM BCH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33406
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport WEST PALM BEACH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID pbi
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 19
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1047 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PBI
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 107
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5047
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29472
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 5:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1300L
NTSB Number MIA85IA246
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-8-71
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-8-71
Aircraft Serial Number 46014
Certified Max Gross Weight 336000
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 152
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Sep 7 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
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 DELTA AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address HARTSFIELD INT'L AIRPORT
Operator City ATLANTA
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30320
Operator Code DALA
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PBI
Departure City WEST PALM BCH
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ATL
Destination City ATLANTA
Destination State GA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 4:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 6930
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --