Dassault-Breguet DA-10 incident near Dallas, Texas, January 21, 1988
On January 21, 1988 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Dassault-Breguet DA-10, registered N79PB, suffered minor damage in an incident near Dallas, Texas (Love Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. 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
- January 21, 1988 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Dallas, Texas · Love Field · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dassault-Breguet DA-10
- Registration
- N79PB · registry record · serial 47
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT EXPERIENCED IN-FLIGHT FIRE RESULTING FROM AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN AN AUXILIARY CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL INSTALLED AFTER AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURE. THE SHORT RESULTED FROM THE USE OF A MOUNTING BRACKET THAT CHAFED AGAINST THE INPUT WIRES. THE FLIGHTCREW EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BUT FAILED TO COMPLETE THE PRESCRIBED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES TO ISOLATE THE FAULTY CIRCUITS AND RESTORE POWER TO OTHER CIRCUITS. THIS RESULTED IN A LANDING WITHOUT STABILIZER TRIM, WING FLAP DEPLOYMENT OR BRAKE ANTI-SKID PROTECTION. THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY SWERVED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE RUNWAY PAVEMENT TO AVOID OVERSHOOTING THE 8,800 FOOT RUNWAY.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 7,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,775 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 18,740 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TFE-731-2-1C (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAL Dallas TX at 9:00 pm
- Destination: HOU Houston TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31L, 8,800 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:27 pm from DAL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.