Accident Overview
On October 19, 2021, at 1000 central daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-87 (MD-87) airplane, registration N987AK, operated by 987 Investments LLC, overran the departure end of runway 36 at Houston Executive Airport (TME) in Brookshire, Texas. The flight crew had executed a rejected takeoff. The aircraft was destroyed by a post-crash fire. Of the 19 passengers and 4 crewmembers aboard, two passengers received serious injuries and one passenger sustained a minor injury. The personal flight was operated under Part 91 and was destined for Laurence G. Hanscom Field Airport (BED) in Bedford, Massachusetts.
Flight Crew Information
The captain and first officer were off-duty employees of Everts Air Cargo, a Part 121 air cargo operator. They accepted the accident flight as contract work. The captain was the pilot flying and had flown the aircraft previously; the first officer had not. Both pilots reported feeling rested on the day of the accident, and toxicology tests found no impairing drugs in either pilot's system.
Preflight and Takeoff
The aircraft had not been flown since April 26, 2021. On the accident day, the flight crew arrived at the airport about 0800. A preflight inspection by the first officer and an airframe and powerplant mechanic found no anomalies. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) captured discussions about procedures and a rejected takeoff briefing in which the captain stated they would reject after V1 "only if the airplane won't fly." After engine start and taxi, the flight crew performed a flight control check with no anomalies. The takeoff began at about 0959 with flaps, slats, and horizontal stabilizer set correctly.
The Rejected Takeoff and Overrun
At 0959:48.0, the first officer called "rotate." The captain attempted to rotate the aircraft about one second later, but the pitch did not increase. The captain described the control column as "frozen" and said it felt like pulling "concrete." Both pilots then attempted to pull back on the yoke. At 0959:53.3, the first officer called "abort." The first officer pulled the thrust levers to idle, and the captain activated the thrust reversers. The first officer applied heavy braking and felt deceleration, but the aircraft overran the runway. It crossed the runway safety area, perimeter fence, and a road, striking electrical distribution lines and trees before coming to rest about 1,400 feet beyond the runway end in a pasture. All occupants evacuated; a post-crash fire ensued.
Aircraft Information
The DC-9-87 (MD-87) features a T-tail design with elevators attached about 30 feet above ground. The elevator system uses control tabs, geared tabs, and antifloat tabs. During takeoff rotation, control column inputs deflect the control tabs, which aerodynamically move the elevators. The elevator system has no gust lock. The aircraft was also equipped with an automatic spoiler system that deploys spoilers when reverse thrust is commanded during a rejected takeoff.
Weather and Airport
At the time of the accident, winds were from 090° at 6 knots. The airport manager reported that high winds from previous events, including Hurricane Nicholas in September 2021, had affected the area, but no such conditions were present on the accident day.
Injuries and Damage
Two passengers sustained serious injuries; one passenger had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed by fire. No fatalities are mentioned in the source.