Douglas DC-9-31 incident near Atlanta, Georgia, May 31, 1990
On May 31, 1990 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Douglas DC-9-31, registered N8982E, was involved in an incident near Atlanta, Georgia (William B. Hartsfield). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 67 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE AC CROSS TIE RELAY, WHICH PREVENTED THE GENERATORS FROM BEING RECONNECTED TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. A FACTOR IN THE INCIDENT WAS THE LOSS OF THE LEFT GENERATOR IN FLIGHT. FACTORS INCLUDE INADVERTENTLY DISCONNECTING THE LEFT GENERATOR WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING THE RIGHT GENERATOR LOSS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1990 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · William B. Hartsfield
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 67 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-9-31 · all DC-9-31s on the register
- Registration
- N8982E · no longer on the register · serial 47331
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FLIGHT CREW HEARD A LOUD 'CLUNK', FOLLOWED BY THE RIGHT GENERATOR FALLING OFF LINE. AFTER UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTING TO RESET THE RIGHT GENERATOR, THE LEFT GENERATOR FELL OFF LINE. AN ATTEMPT TO RESET THE LEFT GENERATOR WAS ALSO UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CREW SELECTED EMERGENCY POWER AND RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING. EXAMINATION OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AFTER THE INCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE AC CROSS TIE RELAY HAD FAILED IN THE 'CLOSED' POSITION. THIS PREVENTED EITHER GENERATOR FROM BEING PUT BACK ON LINE. BOTH GENERATORS AND ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS WERE EXAMINED AND NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS OBSERVED.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 104,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CLT Charlotte NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm from ATL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 61 |
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.