CNN Article

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Delta MD-90 reports stabilizer problems, makes emergency landing

Web posted at: 2:44 p.m. EST (1944 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Delta Air Lines MD-90 jetliner made an emergency landing at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Dallas on Wednesday, after experiencing problems with its horizontal stabilizer trim.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane, Delta Flight 887, from Dallas to Ontario, California, returned to Dallas shortly after takeoff after the cockpit crew reported horizontal stabilizer problems.

Delta said the plane, which was carrying 80 passengers, made a normal landing. The passengers got off at the gate and transferred to other flights.

The FAA said the emergency was declared by the tower at the airport, not by the crew. No injuries were reported.

Declaring the emergency would permit the tower to expedite clearing traffic out of the way for the Delta flight to return.

Delta said its maintenance base was checking out the problem. FAA officials said they too would be checking into the reported problem.

An Alaska Airlines MD-83 crashed off the California coast January 31 after reporting a problem with its horizontal stabilizer. All 88 people on board were killed. Investigators have not determined cause of that crash.

The MD-90 is a later, upgraded model of the MD-80 series, considered a workhorse of jetliner travel.

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I'm surprised this has gone un-noticed for 4 hours. Looks like Squirrel Hunter's prediction may come true.

Before we start the inevitable doom-fest of speculation, innuendo, and accusations let me point out that the emergency inspections covered mechanical aspects. This problem could have been caused by switches that control the stabilizer trim actuator.

I suspect that the pilots still had backup control of the stabilizer trim but because of the crash of AS261 and the resulting scrutiny they chose to land immediately.

Not enough in this article to point a finger, although others on this forum are sure to do so. Insert speculation, accusations against the media, airlines, NTSB, etc below.

-- Mikey2k (mikey2k@he.wont.eat.it), February 23, 2000

Answers

Posted 14 lines below, 'Delta blues'.

-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), February 23, 2000.

Yeah, I see Homer. Cute title but didn't quite speak to the incident (I checked before posting to see if this was already posted by reading the thread titles).

-- Mikey2k (mikey2k@he.wont.eat.it), February 23, 2000.