Mcdonnell Douglas Aircraft CO MD 88 accident near Atlanta, Georgia, January 31, 2014
On January 31, 2014 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 1988 Mcdonnell Douglas Aircraft CO MD 88, registered N921DL, was substantially damaged in an accident during prior to flight near Atlanta, Georgia (Hartsfield - Atlanta Intl). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 144 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inattention by ground crew personnel which resulted in the airplane being substantially damaged.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 2014 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Hartsfield - Atlanta Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 144 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas Aircraft CO MD 88 88, built 1988 · all MD 88s on the register
- Registration
- N921DL · no longer on the register · serial 49645
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before departure and while the airplane was being de-iced by ground crew personnel, the de-icing bucket struck the left side of the fuselage and dislodged a passenger window. As a result, the airplane was substantially damaged and the pressure vessel was compromised. There were no reported injuries.
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
- Ground handling event during prior to flight defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Airport personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 11,436 hours in all; 6,952 in this make and model; 191 in the last 90 days; 5,484 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 11, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 65,507 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 3, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 160,000 lb
- Seats: 157
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W JT8D (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W JT8D (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Airlines, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 12:52 pm from KATL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 3 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 139 |
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.