Casualties unknown

1993-04-14: Douglas DC-10-30 (N139AA) — American Airlines — Dallas/ft Worth, TX

Dallas/ft Worth, TX, US

On April 14, 1993, a Douglas DC-10-30 (registration N139AA) operated by American Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Dallas/ft Worth, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot lost directional control when the airplane began to weathervane and the captain failed to use sufficient rudder control to regain the proper ground track. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 5 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered N139AA
Aircraft registered N139AA. Photo: EX/ZX Thanks for 13 million views since 2017 / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Flight 102 experienced a runway excursion after landing on Runway 17 Left at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport during rain and thunderstorms. Wind was a crosswind at 15 knots with gusts 5 knots higher.

Landing and Loss of Control

Flight 102 touched down on Runway 17 Left at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). At the time, rain was falling and numerous thunderstorms were present in the area. Shortly after touchdown, the pilot lost directional control when the airplane began to weathervane. The captain failed to apply sufficient rudder control to regain the proper ground track. Consequently, the airplane departed the right side of the runway.

Weather Conditions

At the time of landing, the wind was a crosswind blowing at 15 knots, with gusts approximately 5 knots above the steady wind speed.

Probable Cause

The probable cause of the runway excursion was the pilot's loss of directional control when the airplane began to weathervane, and the captain's failure to use sufficient rudder control to regain the proper ground track.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001211X12108. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.