Tue, Sep 22, 2009
Incident Occurred Aboard Aircraft Carrying Then-Senator
Obama
The NTSB has determined that the incident last year involving
an uncommanded pitch-up aboard an aircraft occurred as a result of
the inadvertent partial inflation of the evacuation slide and
subsequent binding of the elevator control cables. Contributing to
this incident was the evacuation slide cover failing to be secured
to the floor fittings on the walkway.
At 0845 (CDT) on July 7, 2008, a McDonnell Douglas MD-81,
carrying then Senator Barack Obama, experienced a tailcone
evacuation slide inflation shortly after takeoff. The aircraft was
operated by Midwest Airlines as Flight #8663 and took off from
Chicago, Illinois for Charlotte, North Carolina. According to
post-incident flight crew statements, during the initial climb, the
airplane's pitch increased without a corresponding flight control
input and exceeded normal limits before the captain was able to
regain control. Once under control, the airplane was diverted to
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and made an uneventful
landing at about 0900 (CDT). None of the 2 flight crewmembers, 4
flight attendants, 2 airline representatives, or 43 passengers were
injured.
Undeployed Slide
Post-incident inspection of the airplane indicated that the
tailcone evacuation slide had inflated inside the tail area of the
airplane as it had lifted off; this resulted in the reported pitch
control restriction. The airplane received minor damage to the
evacuation slide, the walkway, and a set of elevator cables in the
tailcone.
Deployed Slide
Shortly after the incident, the carrier released a maintenance
alert bulletin describing the incident and initial investigation
findings, as well as a revision to the service check agenda, which
added specific instructions for maintenance personnel for verifying
proper slide installation. Additionally, the aircraft manufacturer
has agreed to publish a Fleet Digest article on the incident to
notify other carriers of the findings.
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