Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 accident near Detroit, Michigan, June 13, 1984
On June 13, 1984 at about 8:56 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31, registered N964VJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Detroit, Michigan (Detroit Metro airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 10 people had minor injuries; 46 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- June 13, 1984 · about 8:56 pm local time
- Place
- Detroit, Michigan · Detroit Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 10 people had minor injuries; 46 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 · all DC-9-31s on the register
- Registration
- N964VJ · no longer on the register · serial 47590
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE AIRCREW (VISUALLY & BY USE OF WX RADAR) NOTED THUNDERSTORMS (TSTMS) WEST & SOUTHWEST OF THE ARPT. THE CREW ELECTED TO CONTINUE & MAKE AN ILS APCH. AT 1636, A SPCL WX OBSN HAD TSTM INFO, BUT WAS NOT NOTED. AT 1650, THE VIS DROPPED TO 1/4 MI WITH HVY RAIN & HAIL. AS THE ACFT APCHD RWY 21R, A VIP LVL 4 TSTM MOVED FROM WEST TO EAST OVER THENORTHERN PART OF THE ARPT. THE CONTOLLER PROVIDED WIND INFO FROM THE LOW LVL WIND SHEAR ALERT SYS (LLWAS), BUT USED IMPROPER PHRASEOLOGY & FAILED TO PROVIDE RVR INFO WHEN THE VIS WENT BLO 1 MI. THE CREW HAD DIFFICULTY IN UNDERSTANDING THE LLWAS INFO DUE TO THE AMOUNT & RAPIDITY THAT IT WAS PROVIDED. AT APRX 350' AGL, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED LOW CLDS, HVY RAIN, HAIL & TURBC. THE AIRCREW INITIATED A MISSED APCH. THE SPEED INCREASED TO 143 KTS, THEN DECREASED TO APRX 119 KTS.THE CAPT BELIEVED THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLIMB & ELECTED TO LAND. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 2500' DOWN THE RWY WITH THE GEAR PARTIALLY EXTENDED, THEN SLID 3800' & WENT OFF THE RWY. THE WIND WAS GUSTING TO 32 KTS.
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: 30,650 hours in all; 14,300 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 102,700 lb
- Seats: 110
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Hartford CT at 7:37 pm
- Destination: DTW
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21R, 10,501 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 20 knots, gusting 32
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from DTW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | 2 | ||
| Passengers | 7 | 44 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N964VJ 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.