What happened
During a scheduled crew training mission, a DC-8 overran the departure end of runway 29R at Stockton Metropolitan Airport, California. The flight was part of a program designed for annual proficiency checks and recurrent training for first officers on DC-8 equipment. The aircraft had departed from Oakland International Airport (OAK) with the intention of performing various maneuvers in the Stockton vicinity before returning to OAK.
While executing a touch-and-go landing at Stockton Metropolitan Airport, the captain initiated a rejected takeoff. This decision was prompted by the activation of a ground spoiler extend light and the sounding of a takeoff warning horn. Following the aborted maneuver, the aircraft failed to stop within the remaining runway length, traveling 792 feet past the end of the pavement. During the excursion, the aircraft struck a roadway, which resulted in the collapse of both the nose and left main landing gears. The subsequent impact led to a fire that destroyed the airframe.
All five crewmembers on board survived the incident without any injuries.
Findings
Investigation into the accident determined that the primary factor was an erroneous indication regarding the position of the ground spoilers. This false ground spoiler position indication occurred during the takeoff phase of a touch-and-go maneuver, leading the captain to abort the takeoff at a distance from the runway end that left insufficient space to safely decelerate the aircraft.