FedEx Express Flight 14

Last updated

FedEx Express Flight 14
Fedex Flight 14(N611FE) wreckage.jpg
The wreckage of Flight 14 after the fire was extinguished
Accident
DateJuly 31, 1997 (1997-07-31)
SummaryCrashed following hard landing
Site Newark International Airport runway 22R, Newark, New Jersey, United States
40°41′14″N74°10′27″W / 40.6872°N 74.1742°W / 40.6872; -74.1742
Aircraft
Aircraft type McDonnell Douglas MD-11F
Aircraft nameJoshua
Operator FedEx Express
IATA flight No.FX14
ICAO flight No.FDX14
Call signFEDEX 14
Registration N611FE
Flight origin Singapore Changi Airport,
Singapore
1st stopover Penang International Airport,
Penang, Malaysia
2nd stopover Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport,
Taipei, Taiwan
Last stopover Anchorage International Airport,
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Destination Newark International Airport,
Newark, New Jersey, United States
Occupants5
Passengers3
Crew2
Fatalities0
Injuries5
Survivors5

FedEx Express Flight 14 was a scheduled cargo flight from Singapore to Newark, New Jersey, via Malaysia, Taiwan, and Alaska. On July 31, 1997, the aircraft flying this route crashed during landing on its final segment at Newark International Airport (EWR), inverting and catching fire, injuring all five people on board. [1]

Contents

Summary

Flight 14 crashed while landing on runway 22R at Newark Airport on July 31, 1997. The flight originated in Singapore with intermediate stops in Penang, Malaysia, followed by Taipei, Taiwan, and then Anchorage, Alaska. In addition to the Captain and First Officer there were three passengers on board, including one riding in the jump seat.

During the flight, the pilots were concerned that they would have little stopping distance after landing, and the captain said that he wanted to put the aircraft down early on the runway. The aircraft had departed with one thrust reverser (on the left engine) inoperative, and the pilots knew of incidents in the aircraft's maintenance log where the auto-brakes had failed to activate during landings. They had also misinterpreted the runway data, and so believed they had less stopping distance than was actually available. [2] [3]

The landing was normal until the beginning of the flare phase. The MD-11 touched down, bounced, and rolled to the right. On the second touchdown, about 1,100 feet (340 m) later, the right gear snapped and the No. 3 engine (right wing engine) contacted the runway, with the right roll continuing until the right wing spars broke. The aircraft came to rest off the right side of the runway, on its back, and on fire. All five occupants escaped through a cockpit window. The airplane was destroyed by fire. [4] [3]

Aircraft and crew

N611FE, the aircraft involved in the accident, 11 months before the crash PARIS CHARLES DE GAULLE AUGUST 1996 FEDERAL EXPRESS DOUGLAS MD11F N611FE.jpg
N611FE, the aircraft involved in the accident, 11 months before the crash

The aircraft, named Joshua by FedEx, construction number 48603 and line number 553, was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F freight model, powered by three General Electric CF6-80C2D1F engines. Registered in the United States as N611FE, [5] the aircraft was delivered new to FedEx in September 1993. Prior to the crash, the aircraft had a total of 13,034 flight hours and 2,950 flight cycles (a flight cycle is defined as a takeoff and landing), and had been involved in two prior incidents. In January 1994, when it sustained underbelly damage during a bounced landing at Memphis International Airport. Then in November 1994, the aircraft was involved in a tailstrike at Anchorage International Airport. Permanent repairs were made from the Anchorage incident within days of the tailstrike, and permanent repairs to the Memphis incident were made at the next C check in August 1995. [2]

The captain was 46-year-old Robert M. Freeman who joined FedEx in 1988 when it bought Flying Tiger Line, which he had previously worked for since 1978. Freeman had logged a total of 11,000 flight hours, including 1,253 hours on the MD-11. The first officer was 39-year-old Donald E. Goodin, who had been with FedEx since 1994, having served as a former U.S. Air Force pilot from 1977 to 1994 and had 3,703 flight hours, though only 592 of them were with FedEx. Goodin only had 95 hours on the MD-11. [2] : 11–12  [6] [7] [8]

Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted a full investigation of the accident and concluded that the probable cause was the captain's over-control of the aircraft during the landing and his failure to go around after a destabilized flare. Beginning about 17 feet (5.2 m) above the runway, the captain had let the nose lower, probably to achieve an earlier touchdown, then raised it and increased thrust to slow the plane's descent, then pushed the nose down again (around the time of the first touchdown) to try to keep the plane on the runway. These last control inputs were "too late and too large" to stabilize the landing, and the plane's high sink rate and rightward roll compressed the right landing gear strut at the second touchdown, which broke the right wing rear spar and ruptured the right fuel tank. [2] [4] [3]

NTSB safety recommendations

As a result of its investigation of this accident, the NTSB made new recommendations based on their findings and conclusions to improve the safety of operations of the MD-11 type aircraft including that the FAA develop new pilot training tools to "include information about factors that can contribute to structural failures involving the landing gear, wings, and fuselage, such as design sink rate limits; roll angle limits; control inputs' roll rate; pitch rate; single-gear landings; the effect of decreased lift; and structural loading consequences of bottoming landing gear struts and tires; provide a syllabus for simulator training on the execution of stabilized approaches to the landing flare, the identification of unstabilized landing flares, and recovery from these situations, including proper high sink rate recovery techniques during flare to landing, techniques for avoiding and recovering from overcontrol in pitch before touchdown, and techniques for avoiding overcontrol and premature derotation during a bounced landing; and to promote an orientation toward a proactive go-around." [2] [4] [3]

Aftermath

For his role in the accident, Captain Freeman was fired from FedEx on October 30, 2000. However, the FedEx pilot union criticized the decision and announced that they would appeal it, citing that the crash was caused by aircraft design flaws. [9]

Flight number

FedEx Express continues to use Flight 14 as an active flight number today; the route has been modified to originate in Hong Kong, with the stop in Taipei before continuing on to Anchorage and Memphis as destination.

Media

The crashes of FedEx Express Flight 14, and a similar crash in 2009 of another McDonnell Douglas MD-11, FedEx Express Flight 80 at Narita International Airport in Japan, are both covered on Season 14 of Mayday (Air Crash Investigation, Air Disasters), episode 5, titled "The Final Push".

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDonnell Douglas DC-10</span> Wide-body three–engine airliner

The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is an American trijet wide-body aircraft manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 was intended to succeed the DC-8 for long-range flights. It first flew on August 29, 1970; it was introduced on August 5, 1971, by American Airlines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDonnell Douglas MD-11</span> Wide body airliners developed from the DC-10

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is an American tri-jet wide-body airliner manufactured by American manufacturer McDonnell Douglas (MDC) and later by Boeing. Following DC-10 development studies, the MD-11 program was launched on December 30, 1986. Assembly of the first prototype began on March 9, 1988. Its maiden flight occurred on January 10, 1990, and it achieved Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification on November 8. The first delivery was to Finnair on December 7 and it entered service on December 20, 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">China Airlines Flight 642</span> August 1999 plane crash in Hong Kong

China Airlines Flight 642 was a flight that crashed at Hong Kong International Airport on 22 August 1999. It was operating from Bangkok to Taipei with a stopover in Hong Kong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Airlines Flight 1420</span> June 1999 runway overrun and crash in Arkansas, US

American Airlines Flight 1420 was a flight from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Little Rock National Airport in the United States. On June 1, 1999, the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 operating as Flight 1420 overran the runway upon landing in Little Rock and crashed. 9 of the 145 people aboard were immediately killed—the captain and 8 passengers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FedEx Express Flight 647</span> 2003 aviation accident

FedEx Express Flight 647 was a flight between Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (OAK), Oakland, California and Memphis International Airport (MEM), Memphis, Tennessee that crashed during landing on December 18, 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FedEx Express Flight 80</span> 2009 cargo plane crash in Tokyo, Japan

FedEx Express Flight 80 was a scheduled cargo flight from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in the People's Republic of China, to Narita International Airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. On March 23, 2009, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F (N526FE) operating the flight crashed at 6:48 am JST, while attempting a landing on Runway 34L in gusty wind conditions. The aircraft became destabilized at flare and touchdown resulting in an unrecovered "bounced" landing with structural failure of the landing gear and airframe, and came to rest off the runway, inverted, and burning fiercely. The captain and first officer, the jet's only occupants, were both killed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lufthansa Cargo Flight 8460</span> 2010 aviation accident

Lufthansa Cargo Flight 8460 was an international cargo flight which crashed upon landing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on the 27th of July, 2010. Both crew members, the only people on board, were injured but survived.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwest Airlines Flight 345</span> 2013 aviation incident in New York City, US

Southwest Airlines Flight 345 was a scheduled flight from Nashville International Airport, Tennessee, to New York City's LaGuardia Airport. On July 22, 2013, the Boeing 737 operating the route suffered a front landing gear collapse while landing at LaGuardia Airport, injuring 9 people on board. The aircraft, which was worth an estimated $15.5 million at the time, was written off and scrapped as a result of the accident.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Continental Airlines Flight 603</span> 1978 air crash at Los Angeles International Airport

Continental Airlines Flight 603 was a scheduled McDonnell Douglas DC-10 flight between Los Angeles International Airport and Honolulu International Airport. On March 1, 1978, it crashed during an aborted takeoff, resulting in the deaths of four passengers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FedEx Express Flight 630</span> 2006 aviation accident

FedEx Express Flight 630 was a regular scheduled cargo flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Memphis International Airport, Memphis, Tennessee. On July 28, 2006, the McDonnell Douglas MD-10-10F operating the flight, crashed upon landing due to a landing gear failure. The main left undercarriage collapsed seven seconds after touchdown causing the MD-10 to roll off the runway out of control. The aircraft finally came to a stop near taxiway M4 and caught fire. The fire consumed the wing and port engine and the crash and evacuation left everyone onboard injured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delta Air Lines Flight 1086</span> 2015 aviation incident

Delta Air Lines Flight 1086 was a scheduled Delta Air Lines domestic passenger flight between Atlanta and New York's LaGuardia Airport. On March 5, 2015, the McDonnell Douglas MD-88 aircraft veered off the runway shortly after landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. The plane ran up the seawall berm and struck the perimeter fence, sliding along it for approximately 940 feet (290 m) before coming to rest with the nose of the aircraft hanging over the berm above Flushing Bay. There were no fatalities, although 29 people suffered minor injuries. The aircraft was seriously damaged and written off.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FedEx Express Flight 910</span> 2016 aviation incident

On October 28, 2016, FedEx Express Flight 910, a McDonnell Douglas MD-10-10F flying from Memphis International Airport to Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport was involved in a runway skid after a landing gear collapse, which resulted in a fire completely destroying the left engine and wing. Two crew members, the only people on board, were unharmed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FedEx Express Flight 1406</span> 1996 aviation accident

FedEx Express Flight 1406 was an American domestic cargo flight from Memphis International Airport, Memphis, Tennessee, to Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, that suffered an in-flight cargo fire over New York on September 5, 1996. The three crew members and two passengers on board successfully evacuated after an emergency landing at Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, New York. After the evacuation, the DC-10 was consumed by fire. After an extensive investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board was unable to determine what caused the fire. Nevertheless, the Federal Aviation Administration made recommendations to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iberia Flight 933</span> 1973 aviation incident

Iberia Flight 933 was an international flight from Madrid Barajas International Airport bound for its destination, Boston-Logan International Airport in Boston that suffered a crash landing on December 17, 1973. As the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 operating the flight was approaching the airport, it collided with the approach lighting system (ALS) 500 feet short of the runway threshold. The impact broke off the right main landing gear. The aircraft became airborne for about 1,200 feet, then landed on runway 33 Left, veered to the right off the runway and came to rest. All 168 on board survived, but the plane was written off. This accident was the first hull loss of the DC-10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FedEx Express Flight 1478</span> Boeing 727 hull loss accident

FedEx Express Flight 1478 was a scheduled domestic cargo flight from Memphis International Airport to Tallahassee International Airport. On July 26, 2002, the Boeing 727-232F aircraft flying this route crashed during landing at Tallahassee. All three flight crew members survived the accident with serious injuries, but the aircraft was destroyed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1983 Anchorage runway collision</span> Aviation accident in 1983

On 23 December 1983, Korean Air Lines Flight 084 (KAL084), a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 performing a cargo flight, collided during its takeoff roll with SouthCentral Air Flight 59 (SCA59), a Piper PA-31-350, on runway 06L/24R at Anchorage International Airport, as a result of the KAL084 flight crew becoming disoriented while taxiing in dense fog and attempting to take off on the wrong runway. Both aircraft were destroyed, but no fatalities resulted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Airlines Flight 102</span> 1993 aviation accident

American Airlines Flight 102 was a regularly scheduled flight operated by a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 from Honolulu International Airport to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. On 14 April 1993, upon landing, it was raining at Dallas-Ft Worth International Airport, and there were numerous thunderstorms in the area. Shortly after touchdown on runway 17L, the pilot lost directional control as the aircraft began to weathervane, and it departed the right side of the runway. All 202 occupants on board survived, with two passengers suffering serious injuries during the emergency evacuation. The aircraft was badly damaged and was written off.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capitol International Airways Flight C2C3/26</span> 1970 Aviation accident involving a Douglas DC-8

Capitol International Airways Flight C2C3/26 was a chartered McDonnell Douglas DC-8 Military Airlift Command (MAC) contract flight operated by Capitol Air from McChord Field in Tacoma to Cam Ranh Bay in Southern Vietnam via stopovers at Anchorage and at Yokota Air Base in Japan. The aircraft crashed after a botched take-off attempt from Runway 6R at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on November 27, 1970. Of the 229 persons aboard the jet, 47 perished due to the post-crash fire with 49 persons injured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RED Air Flight 203</span> 2022 aviation incident

RED Air Flight 203 (L5203/REA203) was a scheduled international commercial passenger flight from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic to Miami International Airport by RED Air. On 21 June 2022, the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft operating the service suffered a left landing gear collapse and runway excursion, causing the left wing of the aircraft to impact an antenna structure, followed by a subsequent fire on the right side of the airplane. The incident caused three people to be hospitalized with minor injuries.

References

  1. ↑ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas MD-11F N611FE Newark International Airport, NJ (EWR)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network . Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Crash During Landing, Federal Express, Inc. McDonnell Douglas MD-11, N611FE, Newark International Airport, Newark, New Jersey, July 31, 1997 (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. July 25, 2000. NTSB/AAR-00/02. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Destabilized Approach Results in MD-11 Bounced Landing, Structural Failure" (PDF). Accident Prevention. 58 (1). Alexandria, VA: Flight Safety Foundation. January 2001.
  4. 1 2 3 Dismukes, Key; Berman, Benjamin A.; Loukopoulos, Loukia D. (January 1, 2007). The Limits of Expertise: Rethinking Pilot Error and the Causes of Airline Accidents. Hampshire, UK: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp. 85–94. ISBN   978-0-7546-4965-6 – via Google Books.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  5. ↑ "FAA Registry (N611FE)". Federal Aviation Administration.
  6. ↑ "Operations 2 - Group Chairman Factual Report" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. November 21, 1997. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  7. ↑ "NTSB DISCUSSES 1997 FEDEX CRASH AT NEWARK". www.joc.com. Associated Press. July 25, 2000. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  8. ↑ "PILOT SAW HARD LANDING BEFORE NEWARK CRASH A 1997 FEDEX FLIGHT WENT FROM ROUTINE TO LIFE-THREATENING IN A MATTER OF MINUTES". Greensboro News and Record. Washington. Associated Press. December 2, 1998. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  9. ↑ "TMF: Union Contests Firing of FedEx MD-11 Pilot/Fedex Corp". boards.fool.com. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. November 9, 2000. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2020.

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Transportation Safety Board .

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.