N10556 – McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 – 1996-02-19 NTSB Accident Report

On February 19, 1996, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32 (N10556) was involved in an accident near Houston, TX. The accident resulted in 12 minor injuries, with 75 people uninjured out of 87 aboard. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The captain's decision to continue the approach contrary to Continental Airlines (COA) standard operating procedures that mandate a go-around when an approach is unstabilized below 500 feet or a ground proximity warning system alert continues below 200 feet above field elevation. The following factors contributed to the accident: (1) the flightcrew's failure to properly complete the in-range checklist, which resulted in a lack of hydraulic pressure to lower the landing gear and deploy the flaps; (2) the flightcrew's failure to perform the landing checklist and confirm that the landing gear was extended; (3) the inadequate remedial actions by COA to ensure adherence to standard operating procedures; and (4) the Federal Aviation Administration's inadequate oversight of COA to ensure adherence to standard operating procedures. (NTSB Report AAR-97/01).

See Aircraft Accident Report, "Wheels-Up Landing, Continental Airlines Flight 1943, Douglas DC-9-32, N10556, Houston, Texas, February 19, 1996," NTSB/AAR-97/01.

This accident is documented in NTSB report FTW96FA118. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N10556.