Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The improper maintenance of the tailcone evacuation system, which prevented the evacuation slide from inflating during an evacuation due to smoke/fumes in the cabin.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On September 25, 2003, at approximately 0650 Central Daylight Time (CDT), a McDonnell-Douglas (Boeing) MD-80, N462AA, operated by American Airlines as flight 1128 from Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX to Tampa, FL, experienced an emergency evacuation after powering back from gate C17. Smoke and/or fumes entered the cockpit and cabin and the captain initiated an emergency evacuation after attempting to return to the jetway. During the evacuation the tailcone slide deployed but did not inflate. The flight was operated as a scheduled domestic passenger airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR 121 and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The airplane was not damaged and there were no injuries to the 5 crewmembers or 81 passengers. Eight passengers sustained minor injuries during the evacuation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DCA03IA058