Summary
On May 01, 1993, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11 (N803DE) was involved in an incident near Los Angeles, CA. All 277 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained minor damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING.
On April 30, 1993, at 2113 hours Pacific daylight time, Delta Airlines Flight 88, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, N803DE, landed hard on Runway 24R at Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California. The airplane, operating as a scheduled international passenger flight under 14 CFR Part 121, sustained minor damage. There were no injuries to the 14 crewmembers or 263 passengers. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Anchorage, Alaska, at 1545 hours.
According to the FAA, the pilot was instructed to go-around on his first approach due to the preceding traffic on the runway. On the second approach, the airplane landed hard and bounced. The pilot added power to cushion the landing, which subsequently stowed and disarmed the wing spoilers.
This incident is documented in NTSB report LAX93IA198. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N803DE.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING.
Aircraft Information
Analysis
On April 30, 1993, at 2113 hours Pacific daylight time, Delta Airlines Flight 88, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, N803DE, landed hard on Runway 24R at Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California. The airplane, operating as a scheduled international passenger flight under 14 CFR Part 121, sustained minor damage. There were no injuries to the 14 crewmembers or 263 passengers. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Anchorage, Alaska, at 1545 hours.
According to the FAA, the pilot was instructed to go-around on his first approach due to the preceding traffic on the runway. On the second approach, the airplane landed hard and bounced. The pilot added power to cushion the landing, which subsequently stowed and disarmed the wing spoilers.
Examination of the airplane revealed damage to both nose gear tires and wheel rims, damage to the heat shield on the center body gear, small holes in the fuselage aft of the nose gear, and ingestion of tire rubber in the number 1 engine inlet.
Delta Airlines System Manager Flight Safety reported in part, "On arrival into LAX, the crew was cleared for an ILS 24R with about 18,000 pounds of fuel remaining. A go-around was required from short final due to failure of traffic ahead to clear the runway. On short final, [the] aircraft felt like it was sinking, but an instrument check indicated a stable approach. The Captain added additional throttle and back pressure to the controls. The aircraft touched down, the nose pitched up and the aircraft became airborne."
The system manager also stated that, "The Captain added additional power and forward pressure to the controls to counter the nose pitch-up. The second touchdown was firm and during the rollout the aircraft vibrated, but was controlled with brakes and engine reversing."
Delta Airlines did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane preceding the incident. Delta Airlines also reported that "training in last minute high sink rate situations and recovery techniques after a hard landing could prevent a similar occurrence."
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX93IA198