Mcdonnell Douglas Aircraft CO MD 88 accident near Detroit, Michigan, December 12, 2017
On December 12, 2017 at about 12:35 pm local time, a 1988 Mcdonnell Douglas Aircraft CO MD 88, registered N924DL, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing near Detroit, Michigan (Detroit Metropolitan Wayne Cou airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 61 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the flight crew to confirm the left engine throttle lever was at idle during engine start.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 2017 · about 12:35 pm local time
- Place
- Detroit, Michigan · Detroit Metropolitan Wayne Cou · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 61 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
- N924DL · no longer on the register · serial 49711
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 12, 2017, about 0735 EST, Delta flight 2421, Boeing McDonnell Douglas MD-88, N924DL, after being pushed back from the gate, with the towbar still connected, was substantially damaged after the airplane moved forward after engine start and struck the tug at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), Detroit, Michigan. There were no injuries to the 61 passengers and crew onboard. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a scheduled domestic passenger flight from DTW to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), Morrisville, North Carolina. During pushback, the tug driver informed the flight crew they were cleared to start. After the left engine was started, the airplane started to unexpectedly move forward. Both flight crew members were focused inside the cockpit, running checklists, when the tug driver asked if the brake was set on the airplane. The captain responded "no" and the first officer then noticed the position of the tug and told the captain that they needed to stop the airplane. The airplane struck the tug before stopping. After the airplane's brake was set, the flight crew noticed that the engine throttles were not at idle as expected. Ground conditions were reported as slippery. The tug struck the right forward lower fuselage causing damage to the pressure vessel (skin, stringers, and frames).
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 standing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Flight crew
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 74,998 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, December 11, 2017
- Seats: 157
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt And Whitney JT8D-219 (turbojet); 70,929 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt And Whitney JT8D-219 (turbojet); 62,685 hours total
- Operator: Delta Air Lines
The flight
- Departed from: DTW Detriot MI at 12:35 pm
- Destination: RDU Raleigh/Durham NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 14 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 12:22 pm from KDTW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 3 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 56 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Crew and Ground Crew Statements | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo of Damage to Airplane | picture | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N924DL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.