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NTSB Report

July 6, 1996 · Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88 · N927DA

Pensacola, FL

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 6, 1996
Injury Outcomes
7 injuries (2 fatalities, 2 serious injuries, 3 minor injuries), 137 uninjured
Location
Pensacola, FL
Aircraft
Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88
Tail Number
N927DA
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
DCA96MA068

During the initial part of its takeoff roll, the airplane experienced an engine failure. Uncontained engine debris from the front compressor front hub (fan hub) of the #1 (left) engine penetrated the left aft fuselage. Two passengers were killed and two others were seriously injured. The takeoff was rejected, and the airplane was stopped on the runway. The fan hub had fractured through a tierod hole and blade slot. Some form of drill breakage or drill breakdown, combined with localized loss of coolant and chip packing, had occurred during the drilling process, creating an altered microstructure and ladder cracking in the fan hub. Drilling damage extended much deeper into hole sidewall material than previously anticipated by P & W. Fatigue cracks initiated from the ladder cracking in the tierod hole and began propagating almost immediately after the hub was put into service in 1990. The crack was large enough to have been detectable during the last fluorescent penetrant inspection at Delta. Delta's nondetection of the crack was caused either by a failure of the cleaning and fluorescent penetrant inspection processing, a failure of the inspector to detect the crack, or some combination of these factors.

NTSB Probable Cause

the fracture of the left engine's front compressor fan hub, which resulted from the failure of Delta Air Lines' fluorescent penetrant inspection process to detect a detectable fatigue crack initiating from an area of altered microstructure that was created during the drilling process by Volvo for Pratt & Whitney and that went undetected at the time of manufacture. Contributing to the accident was the lack of sufficient redundancy in the in-service inspection program. (NTSB Report AAR-98/01)

Full Narrative

On July 6, 1996, Delta Airlines flight 1288, an MD-88, N927DA, experienced an uncontained failure of the left engine during the beginning of the takeoff roll. The flightcrew stopped the airplane about 1400 feet down the takeoff runway. On board the airplane were 137 passengers, 2 flightcrew members, 3 cabincrew, and 2 non-revenue Delta employees occupying the cockpit and aft jumpseats. Engine parts entered the left side of the aft cabin resulting in 2 passengers sustaining fatal injuries and 2 sustained major injuries. Three other passengers received minor injuries during the evacuation. The captain stopped the evacuation from the emergency exits, and an airstair was brought to the airplane to evacuate the remaining passengers and the crew. The fan hub for the left engine was found fractured.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time14:24 CDT
Nearest AirportPensacola Regional (0nm)
Runway17
Runway Length7002 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Flight Plan ActivatedYes
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftMcdonnell Douglas MD-88
Tail NumberN927DA
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 121
Engines2
Engine TypeTurbojet
Engine DetailsP&W · JT8D-219 · Turbojet · 21000
Seats142

People & Injuries

Injury Summary7 injuries (2 fatalities, 2 serious injuries, 3 minor injuries), 137 uninjured
Fatal2
Serious2
Minor3
Uninjured137
Total144
Crew 1Age 37 · First Class
Crew 2Age 40 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind210° @ 12 kt
Visibility7 sm
CeilingNone
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time19:06
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data