Atr ATR72 incident near Dallas, Texas, December 26, 2009
On December 26, 2009 at about 2:00 am local time, a Atr ATR72, registered N494AE, suffered minor damage in an incident during enroute (descent) near Dallas, Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth Internationa airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 45 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A fatigue failure of an elevator stop bracket, which resulted in a partial jam of the elevator control. Contributing to the failure was the improper installation of shim stacks, poor alignment of the brackets, and cyclic stresses acting on the lower stop, generated by the repeated improper use of the gust lock system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 2009 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Dallas, Texas · Dallas/Fort Worth Internationa · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 45 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Atr ATR72 212A
- Registration
- N494AE · registry record · serial 494
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight crew reported that, while in level flight, they discovered that both control columns were jammed and they could only move the control column fore and aft a maximum of about 1 inch. After running checklist procedures without success, the flight crew slowed the airplane to 180 knots and were able to regain full control of the elevator. On final approach and after configuring for landing, the elevators again seemed to be jammed. The flight crew conducted a go-around and declared an emergency. During the second approach, with both control columns partially jammed, the flight crew performed a shallow approach to a smooth landing. A postincident examination revealed that brackets holding an elevator stop had fractured, causing the elevator movement to partially jam. The fractures were consistent with fatigue failure and were caused by a combination of improperly installed shim stacks, poor alignment of the L-brackets, and cyclic stresses acting on the lower stop, which were generated by the repeated improper use of the gust lock system.
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
What happened, in order
- Flight control sys malf/fail during enroute (descent) defining event
- Flight control sys malf/fail during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Empennage structure › Elevators › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Empennage structure › Elevator/tab attach fitting › Malfunction
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Empennage structure › Elevator/tab attach fitting › Incorrect service/maintenance
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Empennage structure › Elevator/tab attach fitting › Unintentional use/operation
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,585 hours in all; 268 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 15, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,930 hours in all; 1,204 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 17, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20,915 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 11, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 50,265 lb
- Seats: 68
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt And Whitney PW127 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt And Whitney PW127 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Executive Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: KMAF Midland TX
- Destination: KDFW Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36R, 13,400 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from KDFW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 2 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 41 |
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.