Incident Overview
On January 28, 1994, Valujet Airlines Flight 61 experienced a runway excursion while attempting to depart Washington Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Virginia. The aircraft involved was a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 bearing the registration N3339L. During this event, the airplane sustained physical damage, although no injuries were reported among the five crewmembers or 101 passengers on board.
Operational Sequence
The incident occurred while the aircraft was on the takeoff roll on runway 01 right. According to the captain's statement, as the airplane accelerated to approximately 80 knots, it began to drift to the right of the centerline. In response to this deviation, the captain elected to reject the takeoff and applied reverse engine thrust. Despite these corrective actions, the aircraft ultimately exited off the left side of the runway.