Flight History
On February 16, 2000, about 1951 Pacific standard time, Emery Worldwide Airlines, Inc., Flight 17, a McDonnell Douglas DC-8-71F (DC-8) registered as N8079U, crashed in an automobile salvage yard shortly after takeoff. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a cargo flight from Sacramento Mather Airport (MHR), Rancho Cordova, California, to James M. Cox Dayton International Airport (DAY), Dayton, Ohio. The aircraft departed MHR about 1949 with two pilots and a flight engineer on board. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan.
Accident Sequence
After departure, the flight crew declared an emergency and attempted to return to MHR for an emergency landing. During the attempted return, the aircraft crashed in an automobile salvage yard. The three flight crew members were killed, and the airplane was destroyed.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The investigation determined the probable cause to be a loss of pitch control resulting from the disconnection of the right elevator control tab. The disconnection was caused by the failure to properly secure and inspect the attachment bolt.