Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-14 and Boeing 727-251 accident near Romulus, Michigan, December 3, 1990
On December 3, 1990 at about 6:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-14 (N3313L) and Boeing 727-251 (N278US), were involved in the same accident near Romulus, Michigan (Detroit Metro/Wayne Cnty airport). 8 people were killed, 10 people were seriously injured and 26 people had minor injuries; 154 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LACK OF PROPER CREW COORDN, INCLUDING VIRTUAL REVERSAL OF ROLES BY THE DC-9 PLTS, WHICH LED TO THEIR FAILURE TO STOP TAXIING & ALERT GND CTLR OF THEIR POSITIONAL UNCERTAINTY IN A TIMELY MANNER BFR & AFTER INTRUDING ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY. CONTRIBUING TO CAUSE OF ACDNT WERE (1) DEFICIENCIES IN ATC SVCS PROVIDED BY DETROIT TWR, INCLUDING FAILURE OF GND CTLR TO TAKE TIMELY ACTN TO ALERT LCL CTLR TO PSBL RWY INCURSION, INADQT VIS OBS, FAILURE TO USE PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRNS IN LOW-VIS CONDS, & ISSUANCE OF INAPPROPRIATE & CONFUSING TAXI INSTRNS COMPOUNDED BY INADQ BACKUP SUPERVISION FOR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE OF STAFF ON DUTY; (2) DEFICIENCIES IN SURFACE MARKINGS, SIGNAGE & LGTG AT ARPT & FAILURE OF FAA SURVEILLANCE TO DETECT OR CORRECT ANY OF THESE DEFICIENCIES; (3) FAILURE OF NORTHWEST AIRLINES TO PROVIDE ADQT COCKPIT RESOURCE MAN- AGEMENT TRNG TO LINE AIRCREWS. CONTRIBUTING TO FATALITIES WAS INOPERABILITY OF DC-9 INTERNAL TAILCONE RLS MECHANISM. CONTRIBUTING TO NUMBER & SEVERITY OF INJURIES WAS FAILURE OF CREW OF DC-9 TO PROPERLY EXECUTE THE PSGR EVACUATION.
LACK OF PROPER CREW COORDN, INCLUDING VIRTUAL REVERSAL OF ROLES BY THE DC-9 PLTS, WHICH LED TO THEIR FAILURE TO STOP TAXIING & ALERT GND CTLR OF THEIR POSITIONAL UNCERTAINTY IN A TIMELY MANNER BFR & AFTER INTRUDING ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY. CONTRIBUING TO CAUSE OF ACDNT WERE (1) DEFICIENCIES IN ATC SVCS PROVIDED BY DETROIT TWR, INCLUDING FAILURE OF GND CTLR TO TAKE TIMELY ACTN TO ALERT LCL CTLR TO PSBL RWY INCURSION, INADQT VIS OBS, FAILURE TO USE PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRNS IN LOW-VIS CONDS, & ISSUANCE OF INAPPROPRIATE & CONFUSING TAXI INSTRNS COMPOUNDED BY INADQ BACKUP SUPERVISION FOR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE OF STAFF ON DUTY; (2) DEFICIENCIES IN SURFACE MARKINGS, SIGNAGE & LGTG AT ARPT & FAILURE OF FAA SURVEILLANCE TO DETECT OR CORRECT ANY OF THESE DEFICIENCIES; (3) FAILURE OF NORTHWEST AIRLINES TO PROVIDE ADQT COCKPIT RESOURCE MAN- AGEMENT TRNG TO LINE AIRCREWS. CONTRIBUTING TO FATALITIES WAS INOPERABILITY OF DC-9 INTERNAL TAILCONE RLS MECHANISM. CONTRIBUTING TO NUMBER & SEVERITY OF INJURIES WAS FAILURE OF CREW OF DC-9 TO PROPERLY EXECUTE THE PSGR EVACUATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 1990 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Romulus, Michigan · Detroit Metro/Wayne Cnty · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 8 people were killed, 10 people were seriously injured and 26 people had minor injuries; 154 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft 1
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-14 · all DC-9-14s on the register
- Registration
- N3313L · no longer on the register · serial 45708
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 727-251 · all 727-251s on the register
- Registration
- N278US · no longer on the register · serial 21157
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-14 final · quoted from the NTSB record
"THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED 1/17/2008." ON DECEMBER 3, 1990, AT 1345 EST, NORTHWEST FLIGHT 1482, A DC-9 (N3313L), AND NORTHWEST FLIGHT 299, A BOEING 727 (N278US), COLLIDED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAY 09/27 AND 03C/21C IN DENSE FOG AT DETRIOT METROPOLITAN/WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT, ROMULUS, MI. AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION, THE B-727 WAS ON ITS TAKEOFF ROLL, AND THE DC-9 HAD JUST TAXIED ONTO THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. THE B-727 WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE DC-9 WAS DESTROYED. SEVEN OF THE 40 PASSENGERS AND 1CREWMEMBER ABOARD THE DC-9 RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. NONE OF THE 146 PASSENGERS AND 8 CREWMEMBERS ABOARD THE B-727 WERE INJURED. (SEE NTSB/AAR-91/05 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION)
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 NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 727-251 final · quoted from the NTSB record
"THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED 1/17/2008." ON DECEMBER 3, 1990, AT 1345 EST, NORTHWEST FLIGHT 1482, A DC-9 (N3313L), AND NORTHWEST FLIGHT 299, A BOEING 727 (N278US), COLLIDED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAY 09/27 AND 03C/21C IN DENSE FOG AT DETRIOT METROPOLITAN/WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT, ROMULUS, MI. AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION, THE B-727 WAS ON ITS TAKEOFF ROLL, AND THE DC-9 HAD JUST TAXIED ONTO THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. THE B-727 WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE DC-9 WAS DESTROYED. SEVEN OF THE 40 PASSENGERS AND 1CREWMEMBER ABOARD THE DC-9 RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. NONE OF THE 146 PASSENGERS AND 8 CREWMEMBERS ABOARD THE B-727 WERE INJURED. (SEE NTSB/AAR-91/05 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION).
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 for the Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-14 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 62,253 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 90,700 lb
- Seats: 85
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-7 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: PIT Pittsburg PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21C, 8,500 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 11 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:48 pm from DTW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 3 | ||
| Passengers | 7 | 10 | 23 |
The factual record for the Boeing 727-251 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,400 hours in all; 5,400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 37,710 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 191,500 lb
- Seats: 134
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-15A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MEM Memphis TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3C, 8,500 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 8 | |||
| Passengers | 146 |
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.