Lockheed 188C accident near Dobbins Afb, Georgia, January 29, 1985
On January 29, 1985 at about 2:36 pm local time, a Lockheed 188C, registered N854U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dobbins Afb, Georgia (Dobbins Afb 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 1985 · about 2:36 pm local time
- Place
- Dobbins Afb, Georgia · Dobbins Afb
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed 188C
- Registration
- N854U · no longer on the register · serial 2009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING GEAR RETRACTION AFTER TAKEOFF, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR BECAME JAMMED IN A PARTIALLY RETRACTED PSN & THE RESPECTIVE IN-TRANSIT GEAR LIGHT WOULD NOT EXTINGUISH. ATTEMPTS TO RECYCLE THE GEAR WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE FLT CREW DIVERTED TO ATLANTA, GA; THEN DECIDED TO LAND AT DOBBINS AFB, WHERE THERE WAS A LONG, WIDE RWY THAT COULD BE FOAMED. FOAM WAS APPLIED TO APRX 300 FT OF RWY 29. THE ACFT WAS LANDED WITH THE NOSE & LEFT MAIN GEAR EXTENDED & THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR PARTIALLY RETRACTED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT & STOPPED WITH THE NOSE GEAR APRX 70 FT OFF THE RWY. FIRE ERUPTED IN THE AREA OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR; HOWEVER, THE FIRE WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED BY FIRE DEPT PERSONNEL. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE CLEARANCE BTN THE MAIN LANDING GEAR DOOR HOOK, PN 803845-1, & THE STRUT ROLLER WAS EXCESSIVE.THE REASON FOR THE IMPROPER CLEARANCE WAS NOT DETERMINED. LOCKHEED SERVICE BULLETIN 88/SB-558 WARNED THAT EXCESSIVE CLEARANCE COMBINED WITH A DROP IN HYDRAULIC PRESSURE, GUST OR MANEUVER COULD RESULT IN THE GEAR JAMMING.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,900 hours in all; 303 in this make and model; 270 in the last 90 days; 6,610 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 47,765 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 8, 1985; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 116,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 501-D13A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Galaxy Air Lines,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: PHL Philadelphia PA at 10:30 am
- Destination: CLT Charlotte NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29, 10,000 ft by 300 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:36 pm from MGE
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.