Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-63F accident near Dfw Airport, Texas, October 4, 1991
On October 4, 1991 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-63F, registered N952R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dfw Airport, Texas (Dfw airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGMENT OF THE WING TIP CLEARANCE. A FACTOR WAS THE FAILURE OF THE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES PERTAINING TO TAXIWAY AND RAMP CLEARANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 1991 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dfw Airport, Texas · Dfw
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-63F
- Registration
- N952R · registry record · serial 46061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CARGO TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIING TO THE CARGO RAMP TO UNLOAD ITS CARGO WHEN THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK A LARGE PORTABLE MAINTENANCE STAND. THE MAINTENANCE STAND HAD BEEN LEFT UNATTENDED NINE FEET BEYOND THE MARKED TAXIWAY CLEAR ZONE. THE OUTBOARD 18 INCHES OF THE LEFT WING TIP WAS TORN OFF BY THE COLLISION, WHICH ALSO CAUSED A 75 TO 80 GALLON FUEL SPILL.
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
What happened, in order
- ON GROUND/WATER COLLISION WITH OBJECT during taxi
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 9,500 hours in all; 3,200 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 1
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 62,039 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 30, 1991; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 355,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT3D-7 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: MEM Memphis TN at 12:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 11,388 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°C, dew point 52°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW92LA005.