Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
IMPROPER MAINTENANCE BY UNKNOWN PERSONS RESULTING IN A JAMMED SPOILER. A FACTOR WAS THE REVERSED AILERON FITTING.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On October 13, 1994, at 2131 central daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, N1758B, experienced a flight control malfunction during takeoff at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, (DFW) Texas. The airplane, owned by American Airlines, Inc., and operated by U. S. Africa Airways, was departing on a ferry flight to Washington's Dulles Airport. An IFR flight plan was filed and in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Neither of the two crewmembers were injured.
According to the crew, they experienced a right roll and yaw at liftoff. They were able to control the adverse control effects and elected to return to the airport where an uneventful landing was made. As the airplane was taxiing to the maintenance hangar, maintenance personnel noticed that spoiler numbers 1, 4, and 5, were deployed on the right wing. Prior to this flight a "B" check had been completed on the airplane during which a left hand aileron tension regulator had been removed and replaced. Post- incident inspection revealed that the right hand spoiler control arm had become entangled in the right aileron cable bus guard. It was determined that the cable guard had been installed backwards following the aileron cable maintenance.
Repeated attempts to obtain a Pilot/Operator report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2 was unsuccessful due to the company going out of business.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# FTW95IA023