Boeing 737-204 accident near Tucson, Arizona, December 31, 1989
On December 31, 1989 at about 2:01 am local time, a Boeing 737-204, registered N198AW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona (Tucson Int'L airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 10 people had minor injuries; 123 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE OPERATOR'S MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO DETECT AN ELECTRICAL WIRE WHICH HAD CHAFED AGAINST A HYDRAULIC LINE AND WHICH EVENTUALLY ARCED CAUSING A LEAK IN THE HYDRAULIC LINE AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE AND HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FAILURE. IN ADDITION, PREVIOUS WEAR OF CHECK VALVES IN THE BACKUP HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS PREVENTED THE AIRPLANE FROM STOPPING ON THE RUNWAY. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE AIRPLANE MANUFACTURER'S INADEQUATE GUIDANCE FOR MAINTAINING THE HYDRAULIC COMPONENTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 31, 1989 · about 2:01 am local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · Tucson Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 10 people had minor injuries; 123 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-204 · all 737-204s on the register
- Registration
- N198AW · registry record · serial 19710
- 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 APPROACH, A FIRE ERUPTED IN THE WHEEL WELL OF THE 22-YR OLD AIRPLANE. THE FIRE BURNED THRU THE HYDRAULIC LINES RENDERING THE A, B, & STANDBY HYD SYSTEMS INOP. THE CREW LANDED THE AIRPLANE USING THE EMERGENCY MANUAL REVERSION FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE RUNWAY BECAUSE OF THE PREVIOUS FAILURES OF THE CHECK VALVES IN THE BACKUP HYD ACCUMULATOR PRESSURE SYSTEMS FOR THE #2 THRUST REVERSER AND THE INBOARD PAIR OF WHEEL BRAKES. DURING THE 2 MIN ROLLOUT, THE AIRPLANE TRAVERSED 14,000 FT, OVERRAN THE RWY END, AND COLLIDED WITH A CONCRETE STRUCTURE WHICH COLLAPSED THE NOSE GEAR. THE AIRPLANE HAD RECENTLY UNDERGONE A 'C' CHECK DURING WHICH THE OPERATOR'S MECHANICS FAILED TO OBSERVE & REPAIR AN ELECTRIC WIRE WHICH HAD BEEN CHAFING AGAINST A HYD LINE. ON THE ACCIDENT FLT THE ENERGIZED WIRE ARCED, PUNCTURED THE LINE, & IGNITED THE ESCAPING HYD FLUID. THE HYD CHECK VALVES HAD FAILED EARLIER DUE TO MECHANICAL WEAR.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,600 hours in all; 3,970 in this make and model; 217 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 8,290 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 62,466 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 109,000 lb
- Seats: 122
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-9A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
- Operator: America West Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ at 1:45 am
- Destination: TUS Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29R, 10,994 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 260° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:10 am from TUS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 10 | 118 |
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.