Douglas DC-9-32 accident near Nashville, Tennessee, February 1, 1996
On February 1, 1996 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Douglas DC-9-32, registered N903VJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee (Nashville International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 80 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the right main landing gear shock strut cylinder due to preexisting fractures. Contributing to the accident was: the failure of the operator to inspect the shock strut cylinder for fractures following a previous failure of the torque links, and the absence of specific directives and procedures from the aircraft manufacturer to inspect or replace the shock strut cylinder following torque link failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 1996 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · Nashville International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 80 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-9-32 DC9-32 · all DC-9-32s on the register
- Registration
- N903VJ · no longer on the register · serial 47261
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing, the right main landing gear shock strut cylinder and piston failed which caused the axle, wheels, and tires to separate. Metallurgical examination showed that the fracture surfaces had been damaged after separation. Two areas on the cylinder fracture face were not at an angle to suggest overstress separation, and ratchet marks were present which usually separate initiation sights on offset fracture planes. The piston fracture surfaces had features typical of overstress separation. The right main landing torque links had failed during landing 312 flight hours before this accident. The torque links, shimmy damper, and piston were replaced at that time; the cylinder was not replaced.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 258 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,078 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 1, 1996; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 108,000 lb
- Seats: 118
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA at 8:20 pm
- Destination: BNA TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 11,029 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from BNA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 75 |
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.