Douglas DC-10-10 incident near West Palm Beach, Florida, December 14, 1983
On December 14, 1983 at about 10:57 pm local time, a Douglas DC-10-10, registered N61NA, suffered minor damage in an incident near West Palm Beach, Florida (Palm Beach Int'L airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 6 people had minor injuries; 112 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 incident. 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
- December 14, 1983 · about 10:57 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · Palm Beach Int'L · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 6 people had minor injuries; 112 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-10-10 · all DC-10-10s on the register
- Registration
- N61NA · no longer on the register · serial 46701
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR TRUCK WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATIONREVEALED STRESS CORROSION WHICH ORIGINATED ADJACENT TO THE FORWARD OUTBOARD LONGITUDINAL BEAM LUBRICATION ON HOLE.
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: 21,000 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 33,252 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 1, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 430,000 lb
- Seats: 350
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6-6 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: L6A New York City NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Observation at 10:48 pm from PBI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | 8 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 104 |
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.