Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-54F accident near Detroit, Michigan, January 11, 1983
On January 11, 1983 at about 7:52 am local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-54F, registered N8053U, was destroyed in an accident near Detroit, Michigan (Detroit Metro airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 3 people were killed. 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 accident. 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
- January 11, 1983 · about 7:52 am local time
- Place
- Detroit, Michigan · Detroit Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-54F
- Registration
- N8053U · registry record · serial 46010
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS NORMAL, & THE ACFT ROTATED TO A TAKEOFF ATTITUDE ABOUT 1/2 TO 2/3 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RWY. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT'S PITCH ATTITUDE STEEPENED & THE PLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 1000 FT AGL. THE ACFT THEN ROLLED TO THE RIGHT, ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT, CRASHED, & BURNED. THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS FOUND AT 7.5 UNITS ACFT NOSE UP (ANU). ABOUT 65 SECS BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE 1ST OFFICER & 2ND OFFICER CHANGED DUTY POSITIONS. THE BOARD FOUND THAT THE FLTCREW FAILED TO FOLLOW PROCEDURAL CHECKLIST REQUIREMENTS & TO DETECT & CORRECT A MISTRIMMED STABILIZER BEFORE THE ACFT BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE CAPTAIN HAD ALLOWED THE 2ND OFFICER TO OCCUPY THE 1ST OFFICER'S SEAT. THE 2ND OFFICER HAD PREVIOUSLY TAKEN UPGRADE TRAINING TO BECOME A 1ST OFFICER, BUT WAS UNABLE EVEN WITH EXTENDED TRAINING & HAD VOLUNTEERED TO FOREGO FURTHER BIDDING FOR THE POSITION OF 1ST OFFICER.
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, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,102 hours in all; 2,711 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 31,902 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 315,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT3D-3B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: LAX Los Angeles CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21R, 10,501 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,900 ft; not recorded at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Observation at 7:54 am from DTW, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.