What happened
On the early morning of the incident, a DC-8 operated by United Airlines departed Cleveland for Los Angeles, with a scheduled stop in Detroit. After arriving in Detroit at 01:52, the aircraft underwent refueling and cargo operations for its next leg. Following these procedures, the crew requested taxi instructions at approximately 02:45.
While taxiing toward runway 21R, the flightcrew performed the pre-takeoff checklists. During this process, a verbal exchange regarding the stabilizer trim occurred between the first officer and the second officer; however, the crew failed to verify that the trim was correctly adjusted for departure. Consequently, the stabilizer remained at a setting of 7.5 units ANU, which was the configuration used during the previous landing.
Shortly before takeoff, the captain, first officer, and second officer discussed a seat swap, with the first officer moving to the right-hand seat. The aircraft received clearance for runway 21R at 02:49:58 and was cleared for takeoff at 02:50:03. As the throttles were advanced at 02:51:05, the aircraft reached rotation speed and lifted off the ground at approximately 02:51:41.
After reaching an altitude of roughly 1,000 feet, the aircraft began a gradual roll to the right. The motion continued until the plane reached a vertical wing position, resulting in a crash into a recently plowed field.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary factor was the flight crew's failure to adhere to checklist procedures and their inability to identify or rectify the incorrect stabilizer trim setting before the aircraft became unmanageable. Additionally, the captain's decision to allow an unqualified second officer to occupy the pilot seat and manage the takeoff contributed to the accident.