Tailcone Evacuation Slide Inflated During Flight

The NTSB has released its factual report on an incident involving then-Presidential-candidate Barack Obama's campaign plane last summer. The MD-81's tail cone evacuation slide inflated during flight, and the plane made a successful emergency landing in St. Louis.

NTSB Identification: CHI08IA182
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 121: Air Carrier operation of Midwest Airlines, Inc.
Incident occurred Monday, July 07, 2008 in St. Louis, MO
Aircraft: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD-81, registration: N804ME
Injuries: 51 Uninjured.

On July 7, 2008, at approximately 0845 central daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-81, N804ME, operated as Midwest Airlines Flight 8663, experienced a tailcone evacuation slide inflation shortly after takeoff from Chicago Midway International Airport (KMDW), Chicago, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the event. The charter flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121 on an instrument flight plan. There were no injuries to the 2 flight crew members, 4 flight attendants, 2 airline representatives, and 43 passengers. The flight was en route to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (KCLT), Charlotte, North Carolina, when the evacuation slide inflated. The airplane diverted to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (KSTL), St. Louis, Missouri, and made an uneventful landing at 0930.

Flight crew statements indicated that they did not hear the slide inflate in flight, nor did an airline mechanic who was seated in the rear of the airplane. The captain reported that after liftoff the airplane's pitch continued to increase without a corresponding flight control input. The airplane's pitch reached 20-25 degrees nose up before he regained control using control column and stabilizer pitch trim inputs. The flight crew noted that the pitch control pressure required to level the airplane was "higher than normal."

After the incident, the flight crew consulted with the airline's maintenance staff, in addition to completing the abnormal checklist procedures. The corrective actions taken by the flight crew were ineffective in reducing or eliminating the restriction in the pitch control system. Consequently, they elected to divert to KSTL instead of continuing to KCLT. The captain noted that normal flight control pressures returned during cruise descent, as the airplane passed through 15,000 feet mean sea level (msl). According to the fight crew, no additional flight control restrictions or anomalies were encountered during the remainder of the flight.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov