Douglas DC10-10 accident near San Francisco, California, May 27, 1982
On May 27, 1982 at about 1:55 am local time, a Douglas DC10-10, registered N1833U, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Francisco, California (San Francisco airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 25 people had minor injuries; 113 others were unhurt. 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 accident. 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
- May 27, 1982 · about 1:55 am local time
- Place
- San Francisco, California · San Francisco · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 25 people had minor injuries; 113 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC10-10 · all DC10-10s on the register
- Registration
- N1833U · no longer on the register · serial 47965
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE INITIAL PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE PRIOR TO ENG START A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD & THE ACFT NOSE SLOWLY SETTLED ONTO THE TUG THAT WAS PERFORMING THE PUSHBACK. THE CAPTAIN ORDERED THE ACFT EVACUATED USING THE EMERGENCY SLIDES. THE UPPER JAW OF THE TOWBAR HAD FAILED DUE TO EXTENSIVE STRESS-CORROSION CRACKING. THIS FAILURE RESULTED IN THE TOWBAR IMPACTING THE NOSE LANDING GEAR CAUSING A FAILURE OF THE NOSE GEAR LOWER DRAG LINK UPPER CLEVIS. THE NOSE GEAR THEN COLLAPSED & THE ACFT SETTLED ONTO THE TUG.
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: 19,515 hours in all; 1,249 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 26,769 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 440,000 lb
- Seats: 254
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6-6 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: United Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: SFO San Francisco CA
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 11 | |||
| Passengers | 25 | 102 |
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.