Lockheed L1011 accident near Newark, New Jersey, November 13, 1986
On November 13, 1986 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Lockheed L1011, registered N714DA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newark, New Jersey (Newark International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 137 people were on board or involved. 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
- November 13, 1986 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Newark, New Jersey · Newark International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 137 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed L1011
- Registration
- N714DA · no longer on the register · serial 193C1090
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON NOVEMBER 13, 1986, THE REAR MAIN SPAR OF THE RIGHT WING FAILED AS DELTA FLT 194 TOUCHED DOWN ON RWY 29 AT NEWARK AIRPORT. THE PILOTS STATED THAT THERE WAS MODERATE TURBULENCE ON FINAL APPROACH AND INITIAL TOUCHDOWN WAS ON THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR FIRST. THE TOUCHDOWN WAS FIRM BUT NOT HARD WHICH WAS CONFIRMED FROM THE 1.4G RECORDED ON THE DFDR. THE 1.4G FORCE IS WELL WITHIN THE LANDING GEAR CERTIFICATION LIMITS. THE SPAR WEB FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FATIGUE CRACK THAT ORIGINATED AT A 'HI - LOC' FASTENER HOLE LOCATED AT THE LOWER INBOARD CORNER OF A DOUBLER THAT SURROUNDS THE FUEL FILLER VALVE WHICH IS MOUNTED VERTICALLY ON THE SPAR WEB. THE FATIGUE ZONE IN THE SPAR WEB HAD PROGRESSED ABOUT 6 3/4 INCHES BEFORE THE WEB FAILED AS THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN. THE FRACTURE IN THE SPAR WEB EXTENDED DIAGNALLY DOWNWARD AND OUTBOARD AT 45 DEGREES FROM INBOARD WING STATION 241.0 TO INBOARD STATION 293.5. THE FLIGHT CREW DID NOT REPORT ANY AIRPLANE MALFUNCTION DURING THE FLIGHT.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,850 hours in all; 2,400 in this make and model; 13,725 in the last 90 days; 6,643 in the last 30 days; 17,275 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 26, 1986; 905 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 430,000 lb
- Seats: 302
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce RB-211-22B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: EWR Newark NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29, 6,502 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 19 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 23 | |||
| Passengers | 114 |
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 N714DA 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.