Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10 accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 27, 1985
On June 27, 1985 at about 3:36 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10, registered N129AA, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico (Luis Munoz Marin Int'L airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 3 people were seriously injured and 29 people had minor injuries; 238 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 1985 · about 3:36 pm local time
- Place
- San Juan, Puerto Rico · Luis Munoz Marin Int'L
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 29 people had minor injuries; 238 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10 · all DC-10-10s on the register
- Registration
- N129AA · registry record · serial 46996
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING AT SAN JUAN, THE ACFT WAS PARKED AT THE CUSTOMS AREA, THEN WAS TOWED TO GATE 15 & LOADED FOR THE NEXT FLT.THE PUSH-BACK WAS SUCH THAT THE CREW HAD TO TAXI TO THE GEN AVN PARKING AREA & TURN AROUND BFR PROCEEDING TO RWY 8 FOR DEPARTURE. WHEN CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF, THE WND WAS FROM 160 DEG AT 11 GUSTING 22 KTS. AT APRX 120 KTS ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL,A LOUD RUMBLING SOUND OCCURRED WHICH INCREASED RAPIDLY, THEN THE ACFT BEGAN TO VIBRATE. AT APRX THE V1 SPD OF 141 KTS, THE CAPT REJECTED THE TAKEOFF USING MAX BRAKING. UNABLE TO STOP ON THE REMAINING RWY, HE ANGLED THE ACFT TO THE SAFEST AREA. THE FLT ENGR'S BACK WAS INJURED AS THE ACFT HIT THE REIL SYS. THE ACFT STOPPED WITH ITS NOSE IN A LAGOON. DUE TO TREES, WTR, ACFT ATTITUDE & ONE ACCIDENTAL DISARMING, ONLY 4 OF 8 EMERG SLIDES WERE USED. A LAB ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT THE #7 TIRE HAD FAILED DUE TO LOW INFLATION, MOST LIKELY FROM FOD. DURING THE ABORT, ITS COMPANION TIRE FAILED FROMOVERLOAD. BLACK MARKS ON THE TAXIWAY REVEALED THE #7 TIRE STARTED LOSING PRESSURE WHILE THE ACFT WAS TAXIING.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 215 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 430,000 lb
- Seats: 345
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: DFW Dallas/Ft Worth TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 8, 10,002 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:36 pm from SJV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | 11 | |
| Passengers | 2 | 28 | 227 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DCA85AA027.