Date & Time: Mar 17, 1980 at 1645 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-9
Operator:
Registration:
N9103
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Houston - Baton Rouge
MSN:
45796/74
YOM:
1966
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
46
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
15732
Captain / Total hours on type:
8720
Circumstances:
The airplane landed in rain falls with a 18 knots tailwind about 2,000 feet down runway 13 which is 5,800 feet long. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran and came to rest in a ditch about 350 feet further and 200 feet to the right of the extended centreline. All 50 occupants escaped without injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, the total weight of the airplane was 71,000 lbs.
Probable cause:
Overshoot on landing and subsequent overrun and collision with ditch because ATC cleared the aircraft to wrong runway for existing conditions. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Improper in-flight decisions on part of the pilot-in-command,
- Improper operation of brakes and flight controls on part of the pilot-in-command,
- Rain,
- Wet runway,
- Downwind,
- Haze,
- Aircraft over 25,000 lbs upon landing on runway 13, restricted to zero tailwind/10 knots crosswind when wet,
- Runway 22 available,
- Spoilers not used after touchdown.
Final Report:
N9103.pdf157.57 KB