Douglas DC-9-32 accident near Memphis, Tennessee, January 10, 1995
On January 10, 1995 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Douglas DC-9-32, registered N922VV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee (Memphis International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 37 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE GROUND PERSONNEL'S IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE IN TOW, AND THE OPERATOR'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS SITUATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 1995 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · Memphis International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 37 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-9-32 · all DC-9-32s on the register
- Registration
- N922VV · no longer on the register · serial 47489
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A TUG DURING THE PUSH-BACK FOR TAXI AT MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. PUSH BACK HAD BEGUN WHEN THE GATE AGENT HALTED THE OPERATION TO LOAD LATE ARRIVING PASSENGERS. ACCORDING TO THE TUG DRIVER, WHEN HE APPLIED THE TUG'S BRAKES AFTER REPOSITIONING THE AIRPLANE IN THE GATE AREA, THE AIRPLANE OVER-RAN THE TUG. BOTH ENGINES HAD BEEN STARTED DURING THE PUSH BACK. THE OPERATOR HAS ISSUED A BULLETIN TO ALL FLIGHT CREWS PROHIBITING FORWARD TOWING OF THE AIRPLANE WITH ENGINES OPERATING.
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: 10,000 hours in all; 5,100 in this make and model; 224 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 3,440 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,187 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 22, 1994; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 108,000 lb
- Seats: 119
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-9A (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEM
- Destination: ATL Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 am from MEM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 32 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N922VV the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.