Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11 incident near Dfw Airport, Texas, October 14, 1994
On October 14, 1994 at about 2:31 am local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11, registered N1758B, was involved in an incident near Dfw Airport, Texas (Dfw Airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER MAINTENANCE BY UNKNOWN PERSONS RESULTING IN A JAMMED SPOILER. A FACTOR WAS THE REVERSED AILERON FITTING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1994 · about 2:31 am local time
- Place
- Dfw Airport, Texas · Dfw Airport
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11 · all MD-11s on the register
- Registration
- N1758B · no longer on the register · serial 48527
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A RIGHT ROLL AND YAW. THE CREW ARRESTED THE YAW AND ROLL AND RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. FOLLOWING THE LANDING, AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT HAND SPOILER CONTROL ARM HAD BECOME ENTANGLED IN THE RIGHT AILERON CABLE BUS GUARD. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE AILERON BUS GUARD AND A REVIEW OF THE ENGINEERING DRAWINGS REVEALED THAT THE CABLE BUS GUARD HAD BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY (REVERSED 180 DEGREES FROM THE CORRECT INSTALLATION).
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,642 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 13, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 602,500 lb
- Seats: 240
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF680C2D-1F (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: IAD Washington DC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 11,388 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 am from DFW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.