On September 15, 1993, a Douglas DC-8-63 (registration N870BX) operated by American International was involved in an aviation accident near Toledo, OH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aileron cable separated due to severe wear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During a night ILS approach, the first officer struggled to maintain localizer alignment. The captain took control, using full right aileron and trim. A go-around and emergency declaration followed; the crew landed safely after a second approach with severe aileron issues. Investigation revealed a separated aileron cable due to severe wear.
Incident Overview
During a night instrument landing system (ILS) approach, the first officer was unable to keep the aircraft aligned with the localizer. The captain assumed control and found it necessary to apply full right aileron and full right aileron trim to maintain level flight. The crew executed a missed approach and declared an emergency. Subsequently, they performed another approach while experiencing severe aileron problems, but landed safely.
Post-Inspection Findings
An examination of the aircraft after landing revealed a separated aileron cable. Metallurgical analysis determined that the cable had been severely worn, which directly caused the separation. The aircraft had undergone a C-check inspection approximately 2,582 flight hours prior to the incident. However, no records were found indicating that the aileron cables had been adequately inspected or replaced during that maintenance.