Lockheed L-1011-385-1 incident near Dallas/Ft.Worth, Texas, October 26, 1985
On October 26, 1985, a Lockheed L-1011-385-1, registered N714DA, was involved in an incident near Dallas/Ft.Worth, Texas (Dfw Intl. Apt airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person had minor injuries; 225 others were unhurt. 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 incident. 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
- October 26, 1985
- Place
- Dallas/Ft.Worth, Texas · Dfw Intl. Apt
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 225 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed L-1011-385-1 L-1011-385
- Registration
- N714DA · no longer on the register · serial 193C-1090
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
NO. 3 ENG DEVELOPED AN EXHAUST STACK FIRE DURING THE SECOND ATTEMPTED START FOLLOWING TAXI OUT. THE 1ST START WAS ABORTED WHEN CREW BECAME AWARE OF A 15 MINUTE DELAY BEFORE TAKEOFF. DURING THE 2ND START, EXCESS FUEL TORCHED IN THE COMBUSTORS AND THE EXHAUST STACK. NO EVACUATION WAS ORDERED BY RESPONSIBILE CREW MEMBERS, BUT PANICKED PASSENGERS FORCED A FLT ATTENDANT TO OPEN THE LEFT REAR EXIT AND THE SLIDE DEPLOYED. 15 PASSENGERS EVACED BEFORE ORDER COULD BE RESTORED. ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES WHEN A SECOND PASSENGER ROLLED OVER THE TOP OF HER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISED WITHIN 2 MINUTES BY CFR CREWS. INSP OF THE ACFT DID NOT REVEAL ANY DAMAGE AND INSP OF ENG REVEALED NO DEFICIENCIES. SUSPECT EXCESSIVE START FUEL INTRODUCED INTO CUMBUSTORS DURING FIRST ABORTED START OR SECOND START.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 205 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 466,000 lb
- Seats: 311
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce RB-211-22C-02 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Delta Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DFW
- Destination: SFO San Francisco CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 11,388 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from DFW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 13 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 212 |
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.