Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32 incident near Savannah, Georgia, February 28, 1996
On February 28, 1996 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32, registered N936VV, was involved in an incident near Savannah, Georgia (Savannah 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 copilot's misjudgment of the landing touchdown point, and the pilot-in-command's inadequate supervision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 1996 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Savannah, Georgia · Savannah International
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 80 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32 · all DC-9-32s on the register
- Registration
- N936VV · no longer on the register · serial 47397
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was issued radar vectors for a visual approach to runway 36. The before landing checklist was completed, and all aircraft systems were operational for the landing. The flight crew reported that the airplane touched down approximately 2,500 feet from the threshold of the 7003 foot long concrete runway. During the landing roll, the first officer, who was flying the airplane, applied normal braking, but the airplane did not decelerate as expected. When the captain realized that the airplane was not decelerating, he took the flight controls and applied heavy braking; again, there was no noticeable deceleration. The airplane rolled off the departure end of runway 36 and stopped in approximately a foot of mud. A review of flight data recorder landing data revealed that the aircraft touchdown airspeed was 127 knots indicated airspeed. After touchdown, the airplane rolled 2500 feet before coming to a full stop 43 seconds later. According to the DC-9 aircraft operating manual, the target touchdown point is 1000 feet from the runway threshold. A witness reported that the airplane touched down approximately 4000 feet from the threshold. The prescribed landing airspeed for this flight was 127 knots.
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: 12,572 hours in all; 2,141 in this make and model; 256 in the last 90 days; 95 in the last 30 days; 10,468 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 52,401 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 28, 1996; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 105,000 lb
- Seats: 120
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-9A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA at 8:55 pm
- Destination: SAV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 7,003 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from SAV, 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.