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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.

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NTSB Report

December 18, 1986 · Atr ATR-42 · N423MQ

Detroit, MI

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Incident
Date
December 18, 1986
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (41 uninjured)
Location
Detroit, MI
Aircraft
Atr ATR-42
Tail Number
N423MQ
Injuries
None
NTSB Number
DCA87IA015

DRG ARR, THE FLT WAS VECTORED FOR AN ILS RWY 3R APCH. AT THAT TIME, ATIS INFO INDCD MOD MIXED ICING IN CLDS. THE CAPT RPRTD THE ACFT ENTERED THE CLOUD TOPS AT 5500', WAS IN THE CLDS APRX 5 MIN & ACCUMULATED ABT 1.5' OF RIME ICE. HE STATEDICE ACCUMULATION WAS RAPID, SO THEY DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL THEY WERE IN THE CLR TO CYCLE THE BOOTS TO PREVENT BRIDGING. AFTER INTERCEPTING THE ILS GLIDE SLOPE ON A COUPLED APCH, THE ACFT WAS SLOWED TO EXTD THE GEAR & FLAPS. A CALL FOR 'FLAPS 15' WAS MADE & APRX 3 SEC LATER, THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED AS THE ACFT WAS DSCNDG THRU ABT 1900' AGL AT APRX 146 KTS. AT APRX THE SAME TIME FRAME, THE DE-ICE BOOTS WERE CYCLED AS THE ACFT BROKE OUT OF WX & THE ACFT WENT OUT OF CTL. IT ENTERED BANK OSCILLATIONS (UP TO 44 DEG) & ABRUPTLY LOST ABT 500' BEFORE THE CREW RCVRD, BUT THEY LNDD SUCCESSFULLY. INV REVEALED THE RECENTLY TRAINED CREW DIDN'T GET SUFFICIENT TRAINING IN USE OF DE-ICE EQUIP FM COMPANY INSTRUCTORS, WHOWERE TRAINED AT THE FACTORY. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THE MANUFACTURER REVISED THE FLT MANUAL TO PROVIDE MORE SPECIFIC INFO.

Full Narrative

DRG ARR, THE FLT WAS VECTORED FOR AN ILS RWY 3R APCH. AT THAT TIME, ATIS INFO INDCD MOD MIXED ICING IN CLDS. THE CAPT RPRTD THE ACFT ENTERED THE CLOUD TOPS AT 5500', WAS IN THE CLDS APRX 5 MIN & ACCUMULATED ABT 1.5' OF RIME ICE. HE STATEDICE ACCUMULATION WAS RAPID, SO THEY DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL THEY WERE IN THE CLR TO CYCLE THE BOOTS TO PREVENT BRIDGING. AFTER INTERCEPTING THE ILS GLIDE SLOPE ON A COUPLED APCH, THE ACFT WAS SLOWED TO EXTD THE GEAR & FLAPS. A CALL FOR 'FLAPS 15' WAS MADE & APRX 3 SEC LATER, THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED AS THE ACFT WAS DSCNDG THRU ABT 1900' AGL AT APRX 146 KTS. AT APRX THE SAME TIME FRAME, THE DE-ICE BOOTS WERE CYCLED AS THE ACFT BROKE OUT OF WX & THE ACFT WENT OUT OF CTL. IT ENTERED BANK OSCILLATIONS (UP TO 44 DEG) & ABRUPTLY LOST ABT 500' BEFORE THE CREW RCVRD, BUT THEY LNDD SUCCESSFULLY. INV REVEALED THE RECENTLY TRAINED CREW DIDN'T GET SUFFICIENT TRAINING IN USE OF DE-ICE EQUIP FM COMPANY INSTRUCTORS, WHOWERE TRAINED AT THE FACTORY. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THE MANUFACTURER REVISED THE FLT MANUAL TO PROVIDE MORE SPECIFIC INFO.

Flight

Event TypeIncident
Event Time08:59 EST
Nearest AirportDetroit Metro (8nm SSW)
Runway3R
Runway Length10000 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAtr ATR-42
Tail NumberN423MQ
Aircraft CategoryAir
Operating RulePart 121
Engines2
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsP&W · PW-120 · Turboprop · 1800
Seats50

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (41 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured41
Total41
Crew 1Age 31 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind300° @ 8 kt
Visibility6 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 1000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point36 C / 30 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time13:50
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data