Douglas DC-10-30 accident near Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas, April 14, 1993
On April 14, 1993 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Douglas DC-10-30, registered N139AA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas (Dallas/Ft.Worth Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 2 people were seriously injured and 38 people had minor injuries; 162 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD DETERMINES THAT THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE CAPTAIN TO USE PROPER DIRECTIONAL CONTROL TECHNIQUES TO MAINTAIN THE AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 1993 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas · Dallas/Ft.Worth Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 38 people had minor injuries; 162 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-10-30 · all DC-10-30s on the register
- Registration
- N139AA · registry record · serial 46711
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE TIME FLIGHT 102 LANDED AT DFW AIRPORT, IT WAS RAINING AND THERE WERE NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA. SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 17 LEFT, THE PILOT LOSS DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHEN THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO WEATHERVANE AND THE CAPTAIN FAILED TO USE SUFFICIENT RUDDER CONTROL TO REGAIN THE PROPER GROUND TRACK. THE AIRPLANE EVENTUALLY DEPARTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. AT THE TIME OF LANDING THE WIND (A CROSS WIND) WAS BLOWING AT 15 KNOTS WITH GUSTS APPROXIMATELY 5 KNOTS ABOVE THE STEADY WIND SPEED.
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: 12,562 hours in all; 555 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,295 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 11, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 550,000 lb
- Seats: 350
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6-50C2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI at 4:53 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17L, 11,388 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 22 knots, gusting 33
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:01 pm from DFW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | 10 | ||
| Passengers | 2 | 35 | 152 |
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.