DC91 / B722, Detroit MI USA, 1990

DC91 / B722, Detroit MI USA, 1990

Summary

On 3 December 1990 a Douglas DC9-10 flight crew taxiing for departure at Detroit in thick fog got lost and ended up stopped to one side of an active runway where, shortly after reporting their position, their aircraft was hit by a departing Boeing 727-200 and destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire. The Investigation concluded that the DC9 crew had failed to communicate positional uncertainty quickly enough but that their difficulties had been compounded by deficiencies in both the standard of air traffic service and airport surface markings, signage and lighting undetected by safety regulator oversight.

Description

On 3 December 1990 a Boeing 727-200 (N278US) being operated by Northwest Airlines and taking off from Detroit on a scheduled domestic passenger flight to Memphis as NWA 299 in low ground daylight visibility due to fog collided with a Douglas DC9-10 (N3313L). The DC-9 was also operated by Northwest Airlines and taxiing for departure from Detroit on a scheduled domestic passenger flight to Pittsburgh as NWA 1982. The collision caused substantial damage to the 727 but none of the 154 occupants were injured. The DC9 was destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire and 8 of the 44 occupants, including one of the cabin crew were killed. Ten of the passengers sustained serious injuries and 6 passengers and the First Officer sustained minor injuries.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by the National Transportation Safety Board (USA) (NTSB). The FDR and CVR from both aircraft were recovered and successfully replayed.

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