Philadelphia - Wilmington

On February 6, 1985 at 11:51 PM, Philadelphia - Wilmington experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-9, operated by Airborne Express, with the event recorded near Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. After landing, the aircraft was parked on the ramp for approximately 39 minutes to load cargo. During that time, light freezing drizzle was falling, intermittently mixed with ice pellets and snow. The crew checked the aircraft surfaces from the cockpit and entry door, but observed no ice or snow adhering to the tops of the wings, nose section, windshield or above the door. The captain declined an offer to de-ice, two other aircraft were being de-iced. The takeoff was normal (18° nose up attitude) until just after lift-off, then the aircraft entered an uncommanded left roll and both engines compressor stalled. The captain corrected with left aileron and rudder, then began aborting the takeoff. The aircraft touched down left of the runway on the tail skid and right wing tip, approximately 5,600 feet from the threshold and on a 070° heading. It then traveled another 2,025 feet in a sweeping right arc, hitting 2 runway signs and came to rest heading west with the right pylon bent down. Investigations revealed a thin layer of ice (est 0.15 inch thick) would have been on the wings, raising the aircraft's stall speed. When DC-9-15 aircraft stall, engines are susceptible to compressor stalls.

Aircraft reference details include registration N926AX, MSN 47002, year of manufacture 1967.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 39.9527°, -75.1635°.