Douglas DC-9-32 incident near Abilene, Texas, March 29, 1995
On March 29, 1995 at about 11:26 pm local time, a Douglas DC-9-32, registered N5342L, was involved in an incident near Abilene, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was killed; 64 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INCAPACITATION OF THE FIRST OFFICER DUE TO A HEART ATTACK.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1995 · about 11:26 pm local time
- Place
- Abilene, Texas · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 64 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-9-32 · all DC-9-32s on the register
- Registration
- N5342L · registry record · serial 47278
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE FIRST OFFICER TOLD THE CAPTAIN HE WAS ILL. THE CAPTAIN ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. LATER, THE FIRST OFFICER SAID HE WAS FEELING BETTER AND RESUMED FLYING THE AIRPLANE. ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER, THE SYMPTOMS RETURNED. THE CAPTAIN ASSUMED AIRCRAFT CONTROL AGAIN AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. AS THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING DIVERTED TO ABILENE, TEXAS, A PASSENGER BEGAN CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION. THE FIRST OFFICER WAS LATER PRONOUNCED DEAD AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL. AUTOPSY PROTOCOL LISTED 'ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE' AS THE CAUSE OF DEATH. A FEDERAL AIR SURGEON SAID THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF 'OLD MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION' AND 'HIGH PROBABILITY OF RECENT MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION.'
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,986 hours in all; 2,286 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 93 in the last 30 days; 1,011 as pilot in command; 263 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 64,524 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 28, 1995; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 108,000 lb
- Seats: 115
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-9A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ at 6:15 pm
- Destination: DFW Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 pm from ABI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 4 | ||
| Passengers | 60 |
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.