NTSB ATL92IA151 — 1992-08-02 · LOS ANGELES, California, United States

Aircraft involved

N803DE McDonnell Douglas MD-11 None

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S IMPROPER USE OF THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROLS (ELEVATOR) DURING THE LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT TAIL CONTACTING THE RUNWAY SURFACE.

Factual narrative

THE FLIGHT CREW WAS PERFORMING A NORMAL LANDING (MANUAL THROTTLES/AUTO GROUND SPOILER). THEY REPORTED THAT AFTER THE MAIN GEAR HAD TOUCHED DOWN, THE NOSE PITCHED UP 'VIOLENTLY'. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT TAIL SCRAPED THE RUNWAY SURFACE. DFDR DATA INDICATED THAT AFTER MAIN GEAR TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE WAS LOWERED AT AN EXCESSIVE RATE, FOLLOWED BY LARGE, AFT YOKE INPUT TO ARREST THE RATE OF NOSE SINK. THE NOSE GEAR CONTACTED THE RUNWAY WHILE THE AFT YOKE INPUT WAS MAINTAINED, AND THE GROUND SPOILERS EXTENDED TO 60 DEGREES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT WITH THIS SCENARIO, A PITCH UP OF THE NOSE WOULD OCCUR. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_ATL92IA151.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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