Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

August 25, 1989 · Boeing 727-231 · N52309

Kenner, LA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Incident
Date
August 25, 1989
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (149 uninjured)
Location
Kenner, LA
Aircraft
Boeing 727-231
Tail Number
N52309
Operator
Trans World Airlines
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Minor
NTSB Number
FTW89IA152

The scheduled passenger flight was dispatched with 15 degrees flap takeoff performance data for Runway 10/28, which was 9,228 feet long. Takeoff actually was from Runway 19, which was 7,000 feet long. The airplane lifted from the surface in the safety area of the departure end of the runway and the left main landing gear struck a lighting control box for the rail system. A portion of the landing gear scupper separated from the airplane. The flight continued to its destination and landed without further incident. Prior to departure, the flight engineer filled in his portion of the takeoff data sheet and handed it to the captain. The captain anticipated that Runway 10 would be the departure runway and he performed takeoff data calculations using Runway 10 data. ATIS information and taxi clearance called for takeoff on Runway 19. The operator's procedures did not assign takeoff data calculations to a specific crew member. Procedures also did not call for verification of such information by other crew.

NTSB Probable Cause

INACCURATE OPERATORS PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES AND THE IMPROPER TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE DATA COMPUTED BY THE CAPTAIN. POOR FLIGHT CREW COORDINATION WAS CONSIDERED A FACTOR AS WELL A WRONG RUNWAY SELECTION FOR THE COMPUTED TAKEOFF DATA.

Full Narrative

THE SCHEDULED PASSENGER FLIGHT WAS DISPATCHED WITH 15 DEGREES FLAP TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE DATA FOR RUNWAY 10/28, WHICH WAS 9,228 FEET LONG. TAKEOFF ACTUALLY WAS FROM RUNWAY 19, WHICH WAS 7,000 FEET LONG. THE AIRPLANE LIFTED FROM THE SURFACE IN THE SAFETY AREA OF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK A LIGHTING CONTROL BOX FOR THE RAIL SYSTEM. A PORTION OF THE LANDING GEAR SCUPPER SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED TO ITS DESTINATION AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE FLIGHT ENGINEER FILLED IN HIS PORTION OF THE TAKEOFF DATA SHEET AND HANDED IT TO THE CAPTAIN. THE CAPTAIN ANTICIPATED THAT RUNWAY 10 WOULD BE THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY AND HE PERFORMED TAKEOFF DATA CALCULATIONS USING RUNWAY 10 DATA. ATIS INFORMATION AND TAXI CLEARANCE CALLED FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 19. THE OPERATOR'S PROCEDURES DID NOT ASSIGN TAKEOFF DATA CALCULATIONS TO A SPECIFIC CREW MEMBER. PROCEDURES ALSO DID NOT CALL FOR VERIFICATION OF SUCH INFORMATION BY OTHER CREW

Flight

Event TypeIncident
Event Time11:37 CDT
Nearest AirportNew Orleans Int'L (0nm N)
Runway19
Runway Length7000 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBoeing 727-231
Tail NumberN52309
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageMinor
OperatorTrans World Airlines
Operating RulePart 121
Engines3
Engine TypeTurbofan
Engine DetailsP&W · JT8D-9A · Turbofan · 15000
Seats156

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (149 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured149
Total149
Crew 1Age 44 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind80° @ 4 kt
Visibility12 sm
CeilingNone
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time16:30
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data