Douglas DC-8-63 accident near Swanton, Ohio, February 15, 1992
On February 15, 1992 at about 8:26 am local time, a Douglas DC-8-63, registered N794AL, was destroyed in an accident near Swanton, Ohio (Toledo Express airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE FLIGHTCREW TO PROPERLY RECOGNIZE OR RECOVER IN A TIMELY MANNER FROM THE UNUSUAL AIRCRAFT ATTITUDE THAT RESULTED FROM THE CAPTAIN'S APPARENT SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, RESULTING FROM PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS AND/OR A FAILED ATTITUDE DIRECTOR INDICATOR. (NTSB REPORT AAR-92/05)
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 1992 · about 8:26 am local time
- Place
- Swanton, Ohio · Toledo Express · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-8-63 · all DC-8-63s on the register
- Registration
- N794AL · no longer on the register · serial 45923
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FIRST OFFICER HAD MADE TWO ILS APPROACHES, BUT, FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, FAILED TO PROPERLY CAPTURE THE ILS LOCALIZER AND/OR GLIDESLOPE. DURING THE SECOND MISSED APPROACH, THE CAPTAIN ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE; HOWEVER, HE APPARENTLY BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED, AND INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED AN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE TO DEVELOP WITH BANK ANGLES UP TO 80 DEG AND PITCH ANGLES UP TO 25 DEG. THE FIRST OFFICER ASSUMED CONTROL AND BEGAN LEVELING THE WINGS AND RAISING THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE, BUT IMPACT OCCURRED BEFORE THE UNUSUAL ATTITUDE RECOVERY WAS COMPLETED. THE OPERABILITY OF THE CAPTAIN'S ATTITUDE DIRECTOR INDICATOR AT THE TIME CONTROL WAS LOST IS UNCERTAIN.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,382 hours in all; 2,382 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,889 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 13, 1992; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 358,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT3D-7 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SEA Seattle WA at 4:20 am
- Destination: TOL Toledo OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 10,600 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded at 400 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:34 am from TOL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 N794AL 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.