Pilot Debrief

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT CO MD 88 near New York, NY — 2015-03-05

Final reportDCA15FA085
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Date
2015-03-05
Location
New York, NY, USA
Airport
LGA
Aircraft
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT CO MD 88
Registration
N909DL
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

the captain's inability to maintain directional control of the airplane due to his application of excessive reverse thrust, which degraded the effectiveness of the rudder in controlling the airplane's heading. Contributing to the accident were the captain's (1) situational stress resulting from his concerns about stopping performance and (2) attentional limitations due to the high workload during the landing, which prevented him from immediately recognizing the use of excessive reverse thrust.

NTSB narrative

NTSB investigators traveled in support of this investigation and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report. The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/AccidentReports.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-16/02. On March 5, 2015, at 1102 eastern standard time, Delta Air Lines flight 1086, a Boeing MD-88, N909DL, was landing on runway 13 at LaGuardia Airport, New York, New York, when it departed the left side of the runway, contacted the airport perimeter fence, and came to rest with the airplane's nose on an embankment next to Flushing Bay. The 2 pilots, 3 flight attendants, and 98 of the 127 passengers were not injured; the other 29 passengers received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. Flight 1086 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia, operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121. An instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • CVR
  • Video
  • FDR / data
  • Photos
  • 81 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documentsshowing 50 of 81

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