Mcdonnell Douglas DC9-30 incident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, January 9, 1989
On January 9, 1989 at about 10:42 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC9-30, registered N542TX, was involved in an incident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Metro Ryan Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 2 people had minor injuries; 62 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT WAS NOT ATTAINED BY THE FLIGHT CREW. (COPILOT WAS FLYING AND THE PIC WAS SUPERVISING).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 1989 · about 10:42 pm local time
- Place
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana · Metro Ryan Field · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 62 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC9-30 · all DC9-30s on the register
- Registration
- N542TX · no longer on the register · serial 45735
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ALTHOUGH A WITNESS STATED THE AIRLINER TOUCHED DOWN IN THE LAST 3,250 FEET OF THE 6,900 FOOT RUNWAY, THE ACTUAL TOUCHDOWN POINT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE RUNWAY WAS WET, THERE WAS A SLIGHT TAILWIND AND THE AIRPLANE WAS STOPPED 300 FEET BEYOND THE END OF THE LANDING RUNWAY. THE F/O WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE AND THE CAPTAIN TOOK CONTROL AT 80 KNOTS. HE SAID THAT WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, HE RECEIVED NO BRAKING ACTION. PRIOR TO THE LANDING, THE TOWER ADVISED THAT AN MD-80 HAD REPORTED THE BRAKING ACTION AS POOR. ANOTHER AIRPLINE CAPTAIN SUBMITTED A STATEMENT THAT HE HAS ENCOUNTERED POOR BRAKING ACTION ON THAT RUNWAY IN THE PAST DUE TO AN AREA OF BUILT-UP RUBBER IN THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE OF RUNWAY 04L.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,800 hours in all; 3,200 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days; 4,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 45,039 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 28, 1988; 621 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 104,500 lb
- Seats: 110
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-9 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Continental Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: IAH Houston TX at 9:57 pm
- Destination: BTR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22R, 6,900 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:46 pm from BTR, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 57 |
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.