Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10 incident near Dallas/Ftw Apt, Texas, May 7, 1986
On May 7, 1986 at about 1:58 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10, registered N109AA, was involved in an incident near Dallas/Ftw Apt, Texas (Dfw Intl. Arpt airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 4 people had minor injuries; 270 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
- May 7, 1986 · about 1:58 pm local time
- Place
- Dallas/Ftw Apt, Texas · Dfw Intl. Arpt
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries; 270 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10 · all DC-10-10s on the register
- Registration
- N109AA · registry record · serial 46509
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CREW STATED THAT DURING AN ATTEMPTED START THE NO. 1 ENG FAILED TO GAIN IGNITION DURING THE PRESCRIBED 25 SEC LIMIT AND THAT THEY ABORTED THE START. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, GRND PERS REPORTED THAT THE ENG HAD DEVELOPED A TAIL PIPE FIRE. FOLLOWING EMERG PROCEDURES, THE FIRE PERSISTED AND THE CAPT ORDERED THE ACFT EVACUATED. FOUR PAX RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE 'B' IGN SYS WAS INOP AND PLACARDED AS SUCH AND THAT THE 'A' SYS WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. EXAMINATION REVEALED A SHORT IN THE 'B' SYS HARNESS BETWEEN THE EXCITER AND THE ING PLUG. FOLLOWING REPLACEMENT OF THE 'B' HARNESS, BOTH IGN SYS AND THE ENGINE PERFORMED NORMALLY. THE TAIL PIPE FIRE COULD BE LIT OFF FOLLOWING AN ATTEMPTED START ON THE 'B' SYS, WITH A SUBSEQUENT SECOND START OR SWITCH OVER TO THE 'A' SYS WITHOUT PURGING THE ENG OF THE INITIAL START FUEL. EITHER SEQUENCE WOULD RESULT IN TORCHING.
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; 120 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 440,000 lb
- Seats: 395
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6-6D (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: LGA New York City NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from DFW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 11 | |||
| Passengers | 4 | 259 |
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 N109AA 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.