Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55111
Thursday, May 17, 1984 14:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CLIMB FROM FL330 TO FL370 THE 1ST OFFICER SAW SPARKS AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE PANEL UNDER HIS GLARE SHIELD. COCKPIT LIGHTS WERE TURNED OFF AND SMOKE STOPPED. FLT RETURNED TO MINNEAPOLIS AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT DISCLOSED THE FIRE WAS IN A WIRE BUNDLE LOCATED BTW CENTER OF INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE FLORESCENT LIGHT UNDERNEATH THE 1ST OFFICER'S GLARE SHIELD. THE WIRE BUNDLE (REINSTALLED 4 DAYS BEFORE) WAS STRETCHED TIGHTLY ACROSS THE LEFT END OF THE FLORESCENT LIGHT AND WAS FORCED TO TURN AN ABRUPT ANGLE ACROSS A SHARP METAL EDGE ON THE LIGHT. INSULATION AND FABRIC SLEEVE AROUND THE WIRES WAS BURNED LEAVING THE WIRES EXPOSED. TESTING OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS DID NOT DETERMINE WHY THEY FAILED TO OPEN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 5/17/1984
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MINNEAPOLIS
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55111
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID MSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 841
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 160
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 26
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 239
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5036
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
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 N150US
NTSB Number CHI84IA196
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 In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name McDonnell Douglas
Aircraft Model DC-10-40
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-10-40
Aircraft Serial Number N-150US
Certified Max Gross Weight 555000
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 284
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 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORTHWEST ORIENT AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL INTER'L
Aircraft Owner City ST. PAUL
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55111
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
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BOS
Destination City BOSTON
Destination State MA
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --