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CHI86IA121

1986-04-17 · DETROIT, Michigan, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport DTW

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF A MALE PAX PANICKED AND SHOUTED 'OPEN THE DOOR!' DURING A SMOKE-IN-THE-CABIN OCCURRENCE (OVERHEATED A/C PACK). THE LEAD FA MISTOOK THIS 'INSTRUCTION' AS COMING FROM THE COCKPIT AND OPENED AN EXIT DOOR. PASSENGERS INTERPRETED HER ACTION AS CLEARANCE TO OPEN ANOTHER DOOR AND BEGAN TO EVACUATE. 21 PAX EVACUATED BEFORE THE CAPTAIN INTERVENED. TWO FLT ATTENDANTS WERE ON STRIKE AT THE TIME AND THE FLTS WERE BEING STAFFED BY SUPERVISORS AND NEW HIRES. THE LEAD FA ON THIS FLT WAS A SUPERVISOR WITH NO RECENT DAY-TO-DAY CABIN SUPERVISION EXPERIENCE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1986_CHI86IA121.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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