Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30 incident near Newark, New Jersey, September 5, 2000
On September 5, 2000 at about 11:19 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30, registered N14090, suffered minor damage in an incident near Newark, New Jersey (Newark Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 244 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The sequential failure of the 2nd-stage low pressure turbine nozzle locks, which allowed the 2nds stage turbine nozzle segments to rotate within the low pressure turbine case, machining a hole whereby the nozzle segments exited the engine. A factor was the failure of the mechanic to detect any failed 2nd state nozzle locks during the zone inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2000 · about 11:19 pm local time
- Place
- Newark, New Jersey · Newark Intl
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 244 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30 · all DC-10-30s on the register
- Registration
- N14090 · no longer on the register · serial 46553
- 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 pilot's initiated a takeoff in a DC-10-30. About 5 seconds after the three engines had been set at 104% N1, the N1 on the number 2 engine dropped to 78%, and the engine fail and master caution lights illuminated. The takeoff was rejected, and the # 2 engine was shut down. After emergency personnel examined the airplane, all engines were shut down and the airplane was towed to the gate where the passengers deplaned through the jetway. The investigation revealed all 2nd stage turbine nozzle locks had failed. The nozzles had exited through a hole in the engine case. This was the second uncontained failure of a CF6-50 engine. Following the first event, a special inspection was initiated which the airplane had already received. Prior to departure, the engine had received a zone inspection on the # 2, which was described as a general visual inspection. No failed nozzle locks were reported. However, the inspection did not specifically address inspection of the nozzle locks.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 18,700 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 86 in the last 30 days; 16,800 as pilot in command; 2,100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 98,707 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 1, 2000; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 514,100 lb
- Seats: 256
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6-50C2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EWR at 11:19 pm
- Destination: EBBR Brussels OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4L, 11,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from EWR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 14 | |||
| Passengers | 230 |
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.