Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11 accident near Caribbean, June 29, 1994
On June 29, 1994 at about 4:23 am local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11, registered N1752K, suffered minor damage in an accident near Caribbean. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 2 people were seriously injured and 15 people had minor injuries; 80 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE RESERVE FIRST OFFICER'S UNAUTHORIZED MOVEMENT OF THE FIRST OFFICER'S SEAT DURING FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN THE FIRST OFFICER'S LEGS BEING FORCED AGAINST THE CONTROL COLUMN, PUSHING IT FORWARD, AND DISCONNECTING THE AUTOPILOT. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT PITCHING DOWN AND SUBJECTING THE OCCUPANTS TO NEGATIVE G FORCES, RESULTING IN INJURIES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1994 · about 4:23 am local time
- Place
- Caribbean
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 15 people had minor injuries; 80 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11 · all MD-11s on the register
- Registration
- N1752K · no longer on the register · serial 48421
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE THE CAPTAIN WENT TO THE MAIN CABIN FOR A REST PERIOD AND THE RESERVE FIRST OFFICER TOOK THE CAPTAIN'S SEAT. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO BRING A BOX OF BEVERAGES FOR THE FLIGHT CREW. SHE ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THEM ON THE FOOTREST OF THE CENTER OBSERVER'S SEAT AS DIRECTED BY THE RESERVE FIRST OFFICER. SHE HAD TROUBLE DOING THIS AND THE RESERVE FIRST OFFICER REALIZED THE FIRST OFFICER'S SEAT WAS IN THE WAY. HE REACHED ACROSS THE COCKPIT AND WITHOUT THE FIRST OFFICER'S KNOWLEDGE ACTIVATED THE HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT SWITCH FOR THE FIRST OFFICER'S SEAT MOVING IT FORWARD. THE FIRST OFFICER'S LEGS WERE CROSSED AND CONTACTED THE CONTROL COLUMN PUSHING IT FORWARD. THE LIMITATIONS OF THE AUTOPILOT SYSTEM WERE EXCEEDED AND THE AUTOPILOT TURNED OFF. THE AIRCRAFT RESPONDED TO THE FORWARD CONTROL COLUMN INPUT AND PITCHED DOWN. THIS RESULTED IN INJURIES TO PASSENGERS AND CREW. THE FIRST OFFICER TOOK MANUAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER AUTOPILOT DISCONNECT AND RETURNED THE AIRCRAFT TO LEVEL FLIGHT.
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: 20,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 64 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,522 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 618,000 lb
- Seats: 289
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF680C2D-1F (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMIA Miami FL at 3:33 am
- Destination: SAEZ Buenos Aires OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 am from MKJ, 200 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 3 | 13 | |
| Passengers | 1 | 12 | 67 |
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.