Event FTW95IA023

Factual narrative

On October 13, 1994, at 2131 central daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, N1758B, experienced a flight control malfunction during takeoff at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, (DFW) Texas. The airplane, owned by American Airlines, Inc., and operated by U. S. Africa Airways, was departing on a ferry flight to Washington's Dulles Airport. An IFR flight plan was filed and in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Neither of the two crewmembers were injured. According to the crew, they experienced a right roll and yaw at liftoff. They were able to control the adverse control effects and elected to return to the airport where an uneventful landing was made. As the airplane was taxiing to the maintenance hangar, maintenance personnel noticed that spoiler numbers 1, 4, and 5, were deployed on the right wing. Prior to this flight a "B" check had been completed on the airplane during which a left hand aileron tension regulator had been removed and replaced. Post- incident inspection revealed that the right hand spoiler control arm had become entangled in the right aileron cable bus guard. It was determined that the cable guard had been installed backwards following the aileron cable maintenance. Repeated attempts to obtain a Pilot/Operator report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2 was unsuccessful due to the company going out of business. DURING INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A RIGHT ROLL AND YAW. THE CREW ARRESTED THE YAW AND ROLL AND RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. FOLLOWING THE LANDING, AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT HAND SPOILER CONTROL ARM HAD BECOME ENTANGLED IN THE RIGHT AILERON CABLE BUS GUARD. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE AILERON BUS GUARD AND A REVIEW OF THE ENGINEERING DRAWINGS REVEALED THAT THE CABLE BUS GUARD HAD BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY (REVERSED 180 DEGREES FROM THE CORRECT INSTALLATION). Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12