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Status Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date Saturday 17 March 2001
Time 07:05
Type Silhouette image of generic A320 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Airbus A320-212
Operator Northwest Airlines
Registration N357NW
MSN 830
Year of manufature 1998
Engines CFMI CFM56-5A3
Crew Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6
Passengers Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 145
Total occupants Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 151
Aircraft damage Substantial, repaired
Aircraft fate rep
Location Detroit-Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, MI (DTW)   United States of America
Phase Take off
Nature Passenger - Scheduled
Departure Airport Detroit-Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, MI (DTW/KDTW)
Destination Airport Miami International Airport, FL (MIA/KMIA)
Narrative Takeoff was initiated on runway 3C (8,500 feet by 200 feet, wet). The flight crew reported that at an airspeed of approximately 110 knots, the nose of the airplane began to lift off. The captain attempted to lower the nose, however, the airplane was unresponsive. The airplane became airborne and climbed to an altitude of 20 to 30 feet above the runway. The captain reduced the power on both engines and the airplane settled to the runway, striking the tail. The airplane traveled approximately 700 feet off the end of the runway where it came to rest in the muddy terrain. An emergency evacuation was performed during which the L2 evacuation slide did not deploy. During the investigation, NTSB determined that the airplane was loaded so that its center of gravity (CG), although within limits, was in the aft region of the permissible range. Further, the flight crew had incorrectly set the trim for the trimmable horizontal stabilizer (THS) at -1.7°UP (airplane nose up). This setting resulted in a pitch-up trim condition. The proper trim setting, 1.7°DN (airplane nose down), would have resulted in a correct trim condition for the way the airplane was loaded. The improperly set trim caused the nose of the airplane to lift off the runway prematurely.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot induced oscillations and the delay in aborting the takeoff. Factors associated with the accident were the first officer used an improper trim setting and the captain did not identify and correct the setting during the taxi checklist, and the wet runway conditions."

sources

NTSB id CHI01FA104

ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

Final report

Investigating agency: NTSB

Report nr: CHI01FA104

Duration: 2 years and 8 months

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