Lockheed L-1011 incident near Patuxent River, Maryland, March 5, 1985
On March 5, 1985 at about 3:48 am local time, a Lockheed L-1011, registered CFTNE, suffered minor damage in an incident near Patuxent River, Maryland (Patuxent Nvl Air Station airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under foreign airline rules (Part 129). 2 people had minor injuries; 276 others were unhurt. 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 incident. 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
- March 5, 1985 · about 3:48 am local time
- Place
- Patuxent River, Maryland · Patuxent Nvl Air Station · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 276 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed L-1011
- Registration
- CFTNE · no longer on the register · serial 1027
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ENROUTE FM FT LAUDERDALE, FL TO MONTREAL, CANADA, AIR CANADA FLT 087 REQUESTED TO MAKE AN UNSCHEDULED LNDG DUE TO SMOKE IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT. C-FTNE WAS VECTORED TO PATUXENT RVR NAS, PATUXENT, MD AND DESCENDED OUT OF FL 370. THE SMOKE WAS DETERMINED TO BE ORIGINATING FM A BLACK BOX IN AN OVERHEAD BIN LOCATED ABOVE SEAT #42. ATMPS WERE MADE DRNG THE DSCNT TO IDENTIFY THE BOX AND FIND THE APPROPRIATE CIRCUIT BREAKERS BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL DUE TO LACK OF LABEL ON THE BOX AND OTHER DUTIES OF THE CREW DRNG DSCNT. THE ACFT LNDD W/O INCIDENT AT PXT NAS AT 2306 HOURS EST ON MARCH 4, 1985, AND THE CPT RPTD THAT THE SMOKE STOPPED WHILE TAXIING TO PKG. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE SMOKE ORIGINATED FROM THE EMGCY PWR PACK WHICH CONTROLS THE EMGCY LIGHTING SYSTEM. A CASE TO CASE ELECTRICAL SHORT BETWEEN 2 ADJACENT CELLS IN THE SELF CONTAINED PACK RESULTED IN OVERHEATING. THIS WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE POLYETHYLENE TAPE USED TO HOLD THE 24 CELLS TOGETHER. AN INTERNAL FUSE IN THE BATTERY CHARGING CIRCUIT WAS FOUND POPPED.
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: 18,761 hours in all; 898 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 28,785 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 432,000 lb
- Seats: 311
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce RB 211 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLL Fort Lauderdale FL at 2:00 am
- Destination: YUL Montreal OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 6,400 ft by 300 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 13 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 am from NHK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 13 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 263 |
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.