Douglas DC-8-71F incident near Anchorage, Alaska, December 14, 2001
On December 14, 2001 at about 9:15 am local time, a Douglas DC-8-71F, registered N825BX, was involved in an incident near Anchorage, Alaska (Anchorage International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The asymmetrical activation of the left wing spoiler due to a broken retraction cable during takeoff. A factor associated with the incident was the operator's inadequate inspection of the cable.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 2001 · about 9:15 am local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Anchorage International · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-8-71F · all DC-8-71Fs on the register
- Registration
- N825BX · no longer on the register · serial 45978
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The crew of Douglas DC-8-71F airplane reported a partial flight control malfunction during takeoff. The captain reported that just after the airplane became airborne, the airplane rolled hard to the left. He said that he had to apply full right aileron control, in conjunction with right rudder, to keep the airplane from continuing to roll to the left. The crew immediately declared an in-flight emergency, returned to the airport using left turns only, and made an emergency, high speed landing, without the use of any wing flaps. After landing, the flight crew discovered that the left wing outboard spoiler had deployed just after takeoff. A postincident inspection revealed a broken outboard left wing spoiler retraction cable. An NTSB Metallurgist reported that a magnified optical examination of the broken cable revealed that the area adjacent to the fracture site was severely worn, and reduced in size. He added that many individual wire strands were worn to a knife-edge. The remaining broken strands appeared typical of overstress separations, with no indication of external corrosion. Currently, the subject cable is considered to be an "on condition" component, and has no required life limit assigned. In response to this incident the airplane's manufacture sent a safety notice to all DC-8 operators. In the notice, the manufacturer recommends that all operators review their maintenance procedures with respect to the scheduled inspection of all aircraft cables. A special emphasis was placed on the proper cable condition and cable routing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,414 hours in all; 7,014 in this make and model; 133 in the last 90 days; 63 in the last 30 days; 15,050 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 13, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Injury: no injuries
Flight Engineer
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 82,406.1 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 10, 2001; 47.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 328,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CFM 56 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Transport International
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 9:15 am
- Destination: SEA Seattle WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 11,584 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: -15°F (-26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.