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The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is an American five-abreast,
single-aisle aircraft A narrow-body aircraft or single-aisle aircraft is an airliner arranged along a single aisle, permitting up to 6-abreast seating in a cabin less than in width. In contrast, a wide-body aircraft is a larger airliner usually configured with mult ...
designed by the
Douglas Aircraft Company The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, aerospace and military, defense company based in Southern California. Founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas Sr., it merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell D ...
. It was initially produced as the Douglas DC-9 prior to August 1967, after which point the company had merged with
McDonnell Aircraft The McDonnell Aircraft Corporation was an American aerospace manufacturer based in St. Louis, Missouri. The company was founded on July 6, 1939, by James Smith McDonnell, and was best known for its military fighters, including the F-4 Phantom II ...
to become
McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas Corporation was a major American Aerospace manufacturer, aerospace manufacturing corporation and defense contractor, formed by the merger of McDonnell Aircraft and the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967. Between then and its own ...
. Following the introduction of its first jetliner, the high-capacity
DC-8 The Douglas DC-8 (sometimes McDonnell Douglas DC-8) is an early long-range narrow-body jetliner designed and produced by the American Douglas Aircraft Company. Work began in 1952 towards the United States Air Force's (USAF) requirement for a j ...
, in 1959, Douglas was interested in producing an aircraft suited to smaller routes. As early as 1958, design studies were conducted; approval for the DC-9, a smaller all-new jetliner, came on April 8, 1963. The DC-9-10 first flew on February 25, 1965, and gained its
type certificate A type certificate signifies the airworthiness of a particular category of aircraft, according to its manufacturing design (''type design''). Certification confirms that the aircraft of a new type intended for serial production is in compliance w ...
on November 23, to enter service with
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, operating nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being its ...
on December 8. The DC-9 is powered by
two 2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and the only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many ...
rear-mounted
Pratt & Whitney JT8D The Pratt & Whitney JT8D is a low-bypass (0.96 to 1) turbofan engine introduced by Pratt & Whitney in February 1963 with the inaugural flight of the Boeing 727. It was a modification of the Pratt & Whitney J52 turbojet engine which powered the ...
low-bypass
turbofan A turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft engine, aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a combination of references to the preceding generation engine technology of the turbojet and the add ...
engines under a
T-tail A T-tail is an empennage wikt:configuration, configuration in which the tailplane of an aircraft is mounted to the top of the vertical stabilizer, fin. The arrangement looks like the capital letter T, hence the name. The T-tail differs fr ...
for a cleaner wing aerodynamic. It has a two-person flight deck and built-in
airstair An airstair is a set of steps built into an aircraft so that passengers may board and alight the aircraft. The stairs are often built into a clamshell-style door on the aircraft. Airstairs eliminate the need for passengers to use a Ground s ...
s to better suit smaller airports. The aircraft was capable of taking off from 5,000 ft runways, connecting small cities and towns in the jet stream of air travel where jet service was previously impossible. The Series 10 aircraft are 104 ft (32 m) long for typically 90 coach seats. The Series 30, stretched by 15 ft (4.5 m) to seat 115 in economy, has a larger wing and more powerful engines for a higher
maximum takeoff weight The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) or maximum gross takeoff weight (MGTOW) or maximum takeoff mass (MTOM) of an aircraft, also known as the maximum structural takeoff weight or maximum structural takeoff mass, is the maximum weight at which the p ...
(MTOW); it first flew in August 1966 and entered service in February 1967. The Series 20 has the Series 10 fuselage, more powerful engines, and the Series 30's improved wings; it first flew in September 1968 and entered service in January 1969. The Series 40 was further lengthened by 6 ft (2 m) for 125 passengers, and the final DC-9-50 series first flew in 1974, stretched again by 8 ft (2.5 m) for 135 passengers. When deliveries ended in October 1982, 976 had been built. Smaller variants competed with the
BAC One-Eleven The BAC One-Eleven (BAC-111, BAC 1-11) is a retired early jet airliner produced by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Conceived by Hunting Aircraft as a 30-seat jet, before its merger into BAC in 1960, it was launched as an 80-seat airl ...
,
Fokker F28 The Fokker F28 Fellowship is a twin-engined, short-range jet airliner designed and built by Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker. Following the Fokker F27 Friendship, an early and commercially successful turboprop-powered regional airliner, Fokk ...
, and
Sud Aviation Caravelle The Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle is a French jet airliner produced by Sud Aviation. It was developed by SNCASE in the early 1950s, and made its maiden flight on May 27, 1955. It included some de Havilland designs and components developed for t ...
, and larger ones with the original
Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is an American narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Boeing Renton Factory, Renton factory in Washington (state), Washington. Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the t ...
. The original DC-9 was followed by the second generation in 1980, the
MD-80 The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a series of five-abreast narrow-body aircraft, single-aisle airliners developed by McDonnell Douglas. It was produced by the developer company until August 1997 and then by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The MD-80 ...
series, a lengthened DC-9-50 with a larger wing and a higher MTOW. This was further developed into the third generation, the
MD-90 The McDonnell Douglas (later Boeing) MD-90 is a retired American five-abreast narrow-body aircraft, single-aisle airliner developed by McDonnell Douglas from its successful model McDonnell Douglas MD-80, MD-80. The airliner was produced by the ...
, in the early 1990s, as the body was stretched again, fitted with
V2500 The IAE V2500 is a two-shaft high-bypass turbofan engine built by International Aero Engines (IAE) which powers the Airbus A320 family, the McDonnell Douglas MD-90, and the Embraer C-390 Millennium. The engine's name is a combination of the ...
high-bypass turbofans, and an updated flight deck. The shorter and final version, the MD-95, was renamed the
Boeing 717 The Boeing 717 is an American five-abreast narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Twinjet, twin-engine airliner was developed for the 100-seat market and originally marketed by McDonnell Dougla ...
after McDonnell Douglas's merger with Boeing in 1997; it is powered by
Rolls-Royce BR715 The Rolls-Royce BR700 is a family of turbofan engines for regional jets and corporate jets. It is manufactured in Dahlewitz, Germany, by Rolls-Royce Deutschland: this was initially a joint venture of BMW and Rolls-Royce plc established in 1990 ...
engines. The DC-9 family was produced between 1965 and 2006 with a total delivery of 2441 units: 976 DC-9s, 1191 MD-80s, 116 MD-90s, and 155 Boeing 717s. As of August 2022, 250 aircraft remain in service: 31 DC-9s (freighter), 116 MD-80s (mainly freighter), and 103 Boeing 717s (passenger), while the MD-90 was retired without freighter conversion.


Development


Origins

During the late 1950s,
Douglas Aircraft The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace and defense company based in Southern California. Founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas Sr., it merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas, where it operated as a di ...
studied a short- to medium-range airliner to complement their then-sole
jetliner A jet airliner or jetliner is an airliner powered by jet engines (passenger jet aircraft). Airliners usually have two or four jet engines; three-engined designs were popular in the 1970s but are less common today. Airliners are commonly cla ...
, the high-capacity, long-range
DC-8 The Douglas DC-8 (sometimes McDonnell Douglas DC-8) is an early long-range narrow-body jetliner designed and produced by the American Douglas Aircraft Company. Work began in 1952 towards the United States Air Force's (USAF) requirement for a j ...
(''DC'' stands for ''Douglas Commercial''). The ''Model 2067'', a four-engined aircraft sized for medium-range routes was studied in depth, but work on it was abandoned after the proposal did not receive enough interest from airlines. In 1960, Douglas signed a two-year contract with the French aeronautics company
Sud Aviation Sud Aviation (, 'Southern Aviation') was a French state-owned aircraft manufacturer, originating in the merger of Sud-Est ( SNCASE, or ''Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques du sud-est'') and Sud-Ouest ( SNCASO or ''Société nat ...
for technical cooperation; under the terms of this contract, Douglas would market and support the
Sud Aviation Caravelle The Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle is a French jet airliner produced by Sud Aviation. It was developed by SNCASE in the early 1950s, and made its maiden flight on May 27, 1955. It included some de Havilland designs and components developed for t ...
and produce a licensed version if sufficient orders were forthcoming from airlines. However, none were ever ordered from the company, leading to Douglas returning to its design studies after the co-operation deal expired.Endres, Gunter. ''McDonnell Douglas DC-9/MD-80 & MD-90''. London: Ian Allan, 1991. .Eden 2016, p. 81. In 1962, design studies were underway into what would become the DC-9, known as Model 2086. The first envisioned version seated 63 passengers and had a gross weight of 69,000 lb (31,300 kg). This design was changed into what would be the initial DC-9 variant. During February 1963, detailed design work commenced. On April 8, 1963, Douglas announced that it would proceed with the DC-9. Shortly thereafter,
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, operating nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being its ...
placed the initial order for the DC-9, ordering 15 aircraft along with options for another 15. By January 1965, Douglas had garnered orders for 58 DC-9 as well as options for a further 44. Unlike the competing but larger
Boeing 727 The Boeing 727 is an American Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner that was developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. After the heavier Boeing 707, 707 quad-jet was introduced in 1958, Boeing addressed the demand for shorter ...
trijet A trijet is a jet aircraft powered by three jet engines. In general, passenger airline trijets are considered to be second-generation jet airliners, due to their innovative engine locations, in addition to the advancement of turbofan technology. ...
, which used as many
707 707 may refer to: * 707 (number), a number * 707 (band), an American rock band * AD 707, a year in the 8th century * 707 BC, a year in the 8th century BC * The 7 July 2005 London bombings, a terrorist attack * 707th Special Mission Unit, a mili ...
components as possible, the DC-9 was developed as an all-new design. Throughout its development, Douglas had placed considerable emphasis on making the airliner as economic as possible, as well as to facilitate its future growth. The adoption of the
Pratt & Whitney JT8D The Pratt & Whitney JT8D is a low-bypass (0.96 to 1) turbofan engine introduced by Pratt & Whitney in February 1963 with the inaugural flight of the Boeing 727. It was a modification of the Pratt & Whitney J52 turbojet engine which powered the ...
low-bypass
turbofan A turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft engine, aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a combination of references to the preceding generation engine technology of the turbojet and the add ...
engine, which had already been developed for the
Boeing 727 The Boeing 727 is an American Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner that was developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. After the heavier Boeing 707, 707 quad-jet was introduced in 1958, Boeing addressed the demand for shorter ...
, enabled Douglas to benefit from the preexisting investment.Eden 2016, p. 114. Pratt & Whitney had long collaborated with Douglas on various projects, thus their engine was a natural choice for the company.Vasigh, Taleghani and Jenkins 2012, p. 80. In order to reduce the considerable financial burden of its development, Douglas implemented one of the first shared-risk production arrangements for the DC-9, arranging for
de Havilland Canada De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (DHC) is a Canadian aircraft manufacturer that has produced numerous aircraft models since its inception including the popular De Havilland Canada Dash 8, Dash 8. The company's primary facilities were loca ...
to produce the wing at its own financial cost in return for promises on prospective future production orders.


Entry into service

The pace of development on the program was rapid.Eden 2016, p. 107. The first DC-9, a production model, flew on February 25, 1965.''Air International'' June 1980, p. 293.Vasigh, Taleghani and Jenkins 2012, p. 79. The second DC-9 flew a few weeks later, with a test fleet of five aircraft flying by July. Several key refinements to the aircraft were made during flight testing, such as the replacement of the original
leading-edge slat A slat is an aerodynamic surface on the leading edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. When retracted, the slat lies flush with the rest of the wing. A slat is deployed by sliding forward, opening a slot between the wing and the slat. Air from ...
design to achieve lower
drag Drag or The Drag may refer to: Places * Drag, Norway, a village in Tysfjord municipality, Nordland, Norway * ''Drág'', the Hungarian name for Dragu Commune in Sălaj County, Romania * Drag (Austin, Texas), the portion of Guadalupe Street a ...
.Sadraey 2012, p. 239. The flight test program proceeded at a rapid pace; the initial Series 10 received airworthiness certification from the
Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...
on November 23, 1965, permitting it to enter service with Delta Air Lines on December 8. Through the DC-9, Douglas had beaten rival company
Boeing The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...
and their 737 to enter the short-haul jet market, a key factor that contributed to the DC-9 becoming the best selling airliner in the world for a time.Eden 2016, p. 112. By May 1976, the company had delivered 726 aircraft of the DC-9 family, which was more than double the number of its nearest competitor.Anderton 1976, p. 86. However, following decades of intense competition between the two airliners, the DC-9 would eventually be overtaken as the world's best selling airliner by Boeing's 737.Eden 2016, p. 7.Vasigh, Taleghani and Jenkins 2012, p. 78. From the onset of its development, the DC-9 had been intended to be available in multiple versions to suit varying customer requirements;''Air International'' June 1980, p. 292. the first stretched version, the Series 30, with a longer fuselage and extended wing tips, flew on August 1, 1966, entering service with
Eastern Air Lines Eastern Air Lines (also colloquially known as Eastern) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution, it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade ...
in 1967. The initial Series 10 was followed by the improved
-20 20 (twenty) is the natural number following 19 and preceding 21. A group of twenty units is sometimes referred to as a score. In mathematics Twenty is a composite number. It is also the smallest primitive abundant number. The Happy Family o ...
, -30, and -40 variants. The final DC-9 series was the -50, which first flew in 1974.


Production

The DC-9 series, the first generation of the DC-9 family, would become a long term commercial success for the manufacturer. However, early production of the type had come at a higher unit cost than had been anticipated, leading to DC-9s being sold at a loss.Eden 2016, p. 115. The unfavorable early economics of the type negatively impacted Douglas, pushing it into fiscal hardship. However, the high customer demand for the DC-9 made the company attractive for either an acquisition or a merger;Vasigh, Taleghani and Jenkins 2012, pp. 15-16. Douglas would merge with the American aerospace company
McDonnell Aircraft The McDonnell Aircraft Corporation was an American aerospace manufacturer based in St. Louis, Missouri. The company was founded on July 6, 1939, by James Smith McDonnell, and was best known for its military fighters, including the F-4 Phantom II ...
to form
McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas Corporation was a major American Aerospace manufacturer, aerospace manufacturing corporation and defense contractor, formed by the merger of McDonnell Aircraft and the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967. Between then and its own ...
in 1967.Norris and Wagner 1999, p. 36. The DC-9 family is one of the longest-lasting aircraft in production and operation. It was produced on the final assembly line in
Long Beach, California Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...
, beginning in 1965, and later was on a common line with the second generation of the DC-9 family, the
MD-80 The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a series of five-abreast narrow-body aircraft, single-aisle airliners developed by McDonnell Douglas. It was produced by the developer company until August 1997 and then by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The MD-80 ...
, with which it shares its line number sequence. Following the delivery of 976 DC-9s and 108 MD-80s, McDonnell Douglas stopped series production of the DC-9 in December 1982. The last member of the DC-9 family, the Boeing 717, was produced until 2006. The DC-9 family was produced in total units: 976 DC-9s (first generation), 1191 MD-80s (second generation), 116 MD-90s, and 155 Boeing 717s (third generation). This compared to 2,970
Airbus A320 The Airbus A320 family is a series of narrow-body airliners developed and produced by Airbus. The A320 was launched in March 1984, Maiden flight, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was introduced in April 1988 by Air France. The first membe ...
s and 5,270
Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is an American narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Boeing Renton Factory, Renton factory in Washington (state), Washington. Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the t ...
s delivered as of 2006.


Enhancement studies

Studies aimed at further improving DC-9
fuel efficiency Fuel efficiency (or fuel economy) is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the ratio of effort to result of a process that converts chemical energy, chemical potential energy contained in a carrier (fuel) into kinetic energy or Mechanical work, w ...
, by means of retrofitted wingtips of various types, were undertaken by McDonnell Douglas, but these did not demonstrate significant benefits, especially with existing fleets shrinking. The wing design makes retrofitting difficult. Between 1973 and 1975, McDonnell Douglas studied the possibility of replacing engines on the DC-9 with the JT8D-109 turbofan, a quieter and more efficient variant of the JT8D. This progressed to the flight-test stage, and tests achieved noise reduction between 8 and 9 decibels depending on the phase of flight. No further aircraft were modified, and the test aircraft was re-equipped with standard JT8D-9s prior to delivery to its airline customer.


Further developments (DC-9 family)

Two further developments of the original or first generation DC-9 series used the new designation with McDonnell Douglas initials (MD- prefix) followed by the year of development. The first derivative or second generation was the MD-80 series and the second derivative or third generation was the MD-90 series. Together, they formed the DC-9 family of 12 aircraft members (variants), and if the DC-9- designation were retained, the family members would be: First generation (Series 10, Series 20, Series 30, Series 40, and Series 50), second generation (Series 81, Series 82, Series 83, Series 87, and Series 88), and third generation (Series 90 and Series 95). The Series 10 (DC-9-10) was the smallest family member and the Series 90 (MD-90) was the largest.


Second generation (MD-80 series)

The original DC-9 series was followed in 1980 by the introduction of the second generation of the DC-9 family, the MD-80 series. This was originally called the DC-9-80 (short Series 80 and later stylized Super 80).Norris and Wagner 1999, p. 54.Vasigh, Taleghani and Jenkins 2012, p. 16. It was a lengthened DC-9-50 with a higher
maximum takeoff weight The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) or maximum gross takeoff weight (MGTOW) or maximum takeoff mass (MTOM) of an aircraft, also known as the maximum structural takeoff weight or maximum structural takeoff mass, is the maximum weight at which the p ...
(MTOW), a larger
wing A wing is a type of fin that produces both Lift (force), lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform (aeronautics), planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-d ...
, new main
landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for taxiing, takeoff or landing. For aircraft, it is generally needed for all three of these. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, s ...
, and higher fuel capacity.Eden 2016, pp. 113-115. The MD-80 series features a number of variants of the JT8D turbofan engine that had higher thrust ratings than those available on the original DC-9 series.Roberson 1997, p. 3-115. The MD-80 series includes the MD-81, MD-82, MD-83, MD-88, and shortest variant, the MD-87.


Third generation (MD-90 series)

;MD-90 The MD-80 series was further developed into the third generation, the MD-90 series, in the early 1990s. It has yet another fuselage stretch, an
electronic flight instrument system In aviation, an electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) is a flight instrument display system in an aircraft cockpit that displays flight data electronically rather than electromechanically. An EFIS normally consists of a primary flight ...
(first introduced on the MD-88), and completely new International Aero V2500 high-bypass turbofan engines. In comparison to the very successful MD-80, relatively few MD-90s were built. ; Boeing 717 (MD-95) The shorter and final variant, the MD-95, was renamed the Boeing 717 after McDonnell Douglas's merger with Boeing in 1997 and before aircraft deliveries began.Vasigh, Taleghani and Jenkins 2012, p. 69. The fuselage length and wing are very similar to those of the DC-9-30, but much use was made of lighter, modern materials. Power is supplied by two BMW/Rolls-Royce BR715 high-bypass turbofan engines. ; Comac ARJ21 (C909) China's
Comac ARJ21 The Comac C909, originally known as the ARJ21 Xiangfeng (), is a 78–90 seat regional jet manufactured by the Chinese state-owned aerospace company Comac. Development of the ARJ21 began in March 2002, led by the state-owned ACAC consortium ...
(C909) is derived from the DC-9 family. The ARJ21/C909 is built with manufacturing tooling from the MD-90 Trunkliner program. As a consequence, it has the same fuselage cross-section, nose profile, and tail.


Design

The DC-9 was designed for short to medium-haul routes, often to smaller airports with shorter runways and less ground infrastructure than the major airports being served by larger airliners like the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8, where accessibility and short-field characteristics were needed. The DC-9's takeoff weight was limited to 80,000 lb (36,300 kg) for a two-person flight crew by the then-
Federal Aviation Agency The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...
regulations at the time. The commercial passenger aircraft have five abreast layout for economy seating that can accommodate 80 to 135 passengers, depending on version and seating arrangement. Turnarounds were simplified by built-in airstairs, including one in the tail, which shortened boarding and deplaning times. The DC-9 was originally designed to perform a maximum of 40,000 landings.Norris and Wagner 1999, p. 85. The DC-9 has two rear-mounted JT8D turbofan engines, relatively small, efficient wings, and a
T-tail A T-tail is an empennage wikt:configuration, configuration in which the tailplane of an aircraft is mounted to the top of the vertical stabilizer, fin. The arrangement looks like the capital letter T, hence the name. The T-tail differs fr ...
.Norris and Wagner 1999, . The tail-mounted engine design facilitated a clean wing without engine pods, which had numerous advantages. First, the flaps could be longer, unimpeded by pods on the leading edge and engine-blast concerns on the trailing edge. This simplified design improved airflow at low speeds and enabled lower takeoff and approach speeds, thus lowering field length requirements and keeping wing structure light. The second advantage of the tail-mounted engines was the reduction in
foreign object damage In aviation and aerospace, the term foreign object damage (FOD) refers to any damage to an aircraft attributed to foreign object debris (also referred to as "FOD"), which is any particle or substance, alien to an aircraft or system which could ...
from ingested debris from runways and aprons, but with this position, the engines could ingest ice streaming off the wing roots. The third was the absence of engines in underslung pods, which permitted a reduction in fuselage ground clearance, making the airliner more accessible to baggage handlers and passengers. The cockpit of the DC-9 was largely analogue, with flight controls mainly consisting of various levers, wheels, and knobs.Norris and Wagner 1999, p. 94. The problem of deep stalling, revealed by the loss of the
BAC One-Eleven The BAC One-Eleven (BAC-111, BAC 1-11) is a retired early jet airliner produced by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Conceived by Hunting Aircraft as a 30-seat jet, before its merger into BAC in 1960, it was launched as an 80-seat airl ...
prototype in 1963, was overcome through various changes, including the introduction of
vortilon Vortilons are fixed aerodynamic devices on aircraft wings used to improve handling at low speeds. The vortilon was invented by aerodynamicists working at Douglas Aircraft who had previously developed the engine pylons for the Douglas DC-8. The or ...
s, small surfaces beneath the wings' leading edges used to control airflow and increase low-speed lift.Norris and Wagner 1999, p. 24. The need for such features is a result of the rear-mounted engines.Sadraey 2012, p. 248.


Variants

The DC-9 series, the first generation of the DC-9 family, includes five members or variants and 10 subvariants, which are the production versions (types). Their designations use the Series (DC-9-) prefix followed by a two-digit numbering with the same first digit and the second digit being a zero for variant names and a nonzero for version/type designations. The first variant, Series 10 (DC-9-10), has four versions (Series 11, Series 12, Series 14 and Series 15); the second variant, Series 20, has one version (Series 21); the third variant, Series 30, has four versions (Series 31, Series 32, Series 33 and Series 34); the fourth variant, Series 40, has one version (Series 41); and the fifth or final variant, Series 50, has one version (Series 51).


Series 10

;Subvariant Series 11, Series 12, Series 14, Series 15 The original DC-9 (later designated the Series 10) was the smallest DC-9 variant. The -10 was long and had a maximum weight of . The Series 10 was similar in size and configuration to the
BAC One-Eleven The BAC One-Eleven (BAC-111, BAC 1-11) is a retired early jet airliner produced by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Conceived by Hunting Aircraft as a 30-seat jet, before its merger into BAC in 1960, it was launched as an 80-seat airl ...
and featured a T-tail and rear-mounted engines. Power was provided by a pair of JT8D-5 or JT8D-7 engines. A total of 137 were built.
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, operating nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being its ...
was the initial operator. The Series 10 was produced in two main subvariants, the Series 14 and 15, although, of the first four aircraft, three were built as Series 11s and one as Series 12. These were later converted to Series 14 standard. No Series 13 was produced. A combi version of the aircraft, with a side cargo door forward of the wing and a reinforced cabin floor, was certificated on March 1, 1967. Combi versions included the Series 15MC (minimum change) with folding seats that can be carried in the rear of the aircraft, and the Series 15RC (rapid change) with seats removable on pallets. These differences disappeared over the years as new interiors were installed. The Series 10 was unique in the DC-9 family in not having leading-edge slats. The Series 10 was designed to have short takeoff and landing distances without the use of leading-edge high-lift devices. Therefore, the wing design of the Series 10 featured airfoils with extremely high maximum-lift capability to obtain the low stalling speeds necessary for short-field performance. ;Series 10 features The Series 10 has an overall length of , a fuselage length of , a passenger-cabin length of , and a wingspan of . The Series 10 was offered with the -thrust JT8D-1 and JT8D-7. All versions of the DC-9 are equipped with an AlliedSignal (Garrett) GTCP85 APU, located in the aft fuselage. The Series 10, as with all later versions of the DC-9, is equipped with a two-crew analog flightdeck. The Series 14 was originally certificated with an MTOW of , but subsequent options offered increases to 86,300 and . The aircraft's MLW in all cases is . The Series 14 has a fuel capacity of 3,693 US gallons (with the 907 US gal centre section fuel). The Series 15, certificated on January 21, 1966, is physically identical to the Series 14 but has an increased MTOW of . Typical range with 50 passengers and baggage is , increasing to at long-range cruise. Range with maximum payload is , increasing to with full fuel. The aircraft is fitted with a passenger door in the port forward fuselage, and a service door/emergency exit is installed opposite. An airstair installed below the front passenger door was available as an option as was an airstair in the tailcone. This also doubled as an emergency exit. Available with either two or four overwing exits, the DC-9-10 can seat up to a maximum certified exit limit of 109 passengers. Typical all-economy layout is 90 passengers, and 72 passengers in a more typical mixed-class layout with 12 first and 60 economy-class passengers. All versions of the DC-9 are equipped with a tricycle undercarriage, featuring a twin nose unit and twin main units.


Series 20

;Subvariant Series 21 The Series 20 was designed to satisfy a
Scandinavian Airlines The Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), commonly known as Scandinavian Airlines, is the national airline of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is part of SAS Group and is headquartered in Solna, Sweden. Including its subsidiaries SAS Link and ...
request for improved short-field performance by using the more-powerful engines and improved wings of the -30 combined with the shorter fuselage used in the -10. Ten Series 20 aircraft were produced, all as the Model -21. The -21 had slats and stairs at the rear of plane. In 1969, a DC-9 Series 20 at Long Beach was fitted with an Elliott Flight Automation
Head-up display A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD () or head-up guidance system (HGS), is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a ...
by McDonnell Douglas and used for successful three-month-long trials with pilots from various airlines, the
Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...
, and the
US Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
. ;Series 20 features The Series 20 has an overall length of , a fuselage length of , a passenger-cabin length of , and a wingspan of . The DC-9 Series 20 is powered by the thrust JT8D-11 engine. The Series 20 was originally certificated at an MTOW of but this was increased to , eight percent more than on the higher weight Series 14s and 15s. The aircraft's MLW is and MZFW is . Typical range with maximum payload is , increasing to with maximum fuel. The Series 20, using the same wing as the Series 30, 40 and 50, has a slightly lower basic fuel capacity than the Series 10 (3,679 US gallons). ;Series 20 milestones * First flight: September 18, 1968. * FAA certification: November 25, 1968. * First delivery: December 11, 1968, to
Scandinavian Airlines System The Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), commonly known as Scandinavian Airlines, is the Flag carrier, national airline of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is part of SAS Group and is headquartered in Solna Municipality, Solna, Sweden. Including ...
(SAS) * Entry into service: January 27, 1969, with SAS. * Last delivery: May 1, 1969, to SAS.


Series 30

;Subvariant Series 31, Series 32, Series 33, Series 34 The Series 30 was produced to counter Boeing's 737 twinjet; 662 were built, about 60% of the total. The -30 entered service with
Eastern Airlines Eastern Air Lines (also colloquially known as Eastern) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution, it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade ...
in February 1967 with a fuselage stretch, wingspan increased by just over and full-span
leading edge slats A slat is an aerodynamic surface on the leading edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. When retracted, the slat lies flush with the rest of the wing. A slat is deployed by sliding forward, opening a slot between the wing and the slat. Air from ...
, improving takeoff and landing performance. Maximum takeoff weight was typically . Engines for Models -31, -32, -33, and -34 included the P&W JT8D-7 and JT8D-9 rated at of thrust, or JT8D-11 with . Unlike the Series 10, the Series 30 had leading-edge devices to reduce the landing speeds at higher landing weights; full-span slats reduced approach speeds by six knots despite 5,000 lb greater weight. The slats were lighter than slotted
Krueger flap Krueger flaps, or Krüger flaps, are lift enhancement devices that may be fitted to the leading edge of an aircraft wing. Unlike Leading-edge slat, slats or leading-edge droop flap, droop flaps, the main wing upper surface and its leading edge is ...
s, since the structure associated with the slat is a more efficient torque box than the structure associated with the slotted Krueger. The wing had a six-percent increase in chord, all ahead of the front spar, allowing the 15 percent chord slat to be incorporated. ;Series 30 versions The Series 30 was built in four main sub-variants.Airclaims Jet Programs 1995Jane's Civil and Military Aircraft Upgrades 1995 * DC-9-31: Produced in passenger version only. The first DC-9 Series 30 flew on August 1, 1966, and the first delivery was to
Eastern Airlines Eastern Air Lines (also colloquially known as Eastern) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution, it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade ...
on February 27, 1967, after certification on December 19, 1966. Basic MTOW of and subsequently certificated at weights up to . * DC-9-32: Introduced in the first year (1967). Certificated March 1, 1967. Basic MTOW of later increased to . A number of cargo versions of the Series 32 were also produced: ** 32LWF (Light Weight Freight) with modified cabin but no cargo door or reinforced floor, intended for package freighter use. ** 32CF (Convertible Freighter), a combi version with a reinforced floor and removable passenger facilities ** 32AF (All Freight), a windowless all-cargo aircraft. * DC-9-33: Following the Series 31 and 32 came the Series 33 for combi or all-cargo use. Certificated on April 15, 1968, the aircraft's MTOW was , MLW to and MZFW to . JT8D-9 or -11 ( thrust) engines were used. Wing incidence was increased 1.25 degrees to reduce cruise drag. Only 22 were built, as All Freight (AF), Convertible Freight (CF) and Rapid Change (RC) aircraft. * DC-9-34: The last variant was the Series 34, intended for longer range with an MTOW of , an MLW of and an MZFW of . The DC-9-34CF (Convertible Freighter) was certificated April 20, 1976, while the passenger followed on November 3, 1976. The aircraft has the more powerful JT8D-9s with the -15 and -17 engines as an option. It had the wing incidence change introduced on the DC-9-33. Twelve were built, five as convertible freighters. ;Series 30 features The DC-9-30 was offered with a selection of variants of JT8D including the -1, -7, -9, -11, -15. and -17. The most common on the Series 31 is the JT8D-7 ( thrust), although it was also available with the -9 and -17 engines. On the Series 32 the JT8D-9 ( thrust) was standard, with the -11 also offered. The Series 33 was offered with the JT8D-9 or -11 ( thrust) engines and the heavyweight -34 with the JT8D-9, -15 ( thrust) or -17 ( thrust) engines.


Series 40

;Subvariant Series 41 The DC-9-40 is a further lengthened version. With a longer fuselage, accommodation was up to 125 passengers. The Series 40 was fitted with Pratt & Whitney engines with thrust of . A total of 71 were produced. The variant first entered service with
Scandinavian Airlines System The Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), commonly known as Scandinavian Airlines, is the Flag carrier, national airline of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is part of SAS Group and is headquartered in Solna Municipality, Solna, Sweden. Including ...
(SAS) in March 1968. Its unit cost was .


Series 50

;Subvariant Series 51 The Series 50 was the largest version of the DC-9 to enter airline service. It features an fuselage stretch and seats up to 139 passengers. It entered revenue service in August 1975 with
Eastern Airlines Eastern Air Lines (also colloquially known as Eastern) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution, it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade ...
and included several detail improvements, a new cabin interior, and more powerful JT8D-15 or 17 engines in the class. McDonnell Douglas delivered 96, all as the Model -51. Some visual cues to distinguish this version from other DC-9 variants include side strakes or fins below the side cockpit windows, spray deflectors on the nose gear, and thrust reversers angled inward 17 degrees compared to the original configuration. The thrust reverser modification was developed by
Air Canada Air Canada is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Canada, by size and passengers carried. Air Canada is headquartered in the borough of Saint-Laurent in the city of Montreal. The airline, founded in 1937, provides scheduled and cha ...
for its earlier aircraft, and adopted by McDonnell Douglas as a standard feature on the series 50. It was also applied to many earlier DC-9s during regular maintenance.


Military and government


Operators

As of May 2024, a total of 30 DC-9 series aircraft remain in service, of which 20 are operated by
Aeronaves TSM Aeronaves TSM is a Mexican cargo charter airline headquartered in Saltillo and based at Saltillo Airport. Operations The company was founded in 1995, and operates both chartered flights and cargo flights. Their aircraft are used for cargo opera ...
and two passenger aircraft in service with
African Express Airways African Express Airways is a Somali-owned Kenyan airline with its head office at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Embakasi, Nairobi, Kenya. Services African Express Airways is a short-haul airline, which caters to business and leisure tr ...
, and the rest in cargo service. With the existing DC-9 fleet shrinking, modifications do not appear to be likely to occur, especially since the wing design makes retrofitting difficult. DC-9s are therefore likely to be further replaced in service by newer airliners such as
Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is an American narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Boeing Renton Factory, Renton factory in Washington (state), Washington. Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the t ...
,
Airbus A320 The Airbus A320 family is a series of narrow-body airliners developed and produced by Airbus. The A320 was launched in March 1984, Maiden flight, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was introduced in April 1988 by Air France. The first membe ...
,
Embraer E-Jets The Embraer E-Jet family is a series of four-abreast, narrow-body, short- to medium-range, twin-engined jet airliners designed and produced by Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer. The E-Jet was designed to complement Embraer’s earlier ...
, and the
Airbus A220 The Airbus A220 is a family of five-abreast narrow-body airliners by Airbus Canada Limited Partnership (ACLP). It was originally developed by Bombardier Aviation and had two years in service as the Bombardier CSeries. The program was launche ...
. However one former
Scandinavian Airlines The Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), commonly known as Scandinavian Airlines, is the national airline of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is part of SAS Group and is headquartered in Solna, Sweden. Including its subsidiaries SAS Link and ...
DC-9-21 is operated as a skydiving jump platform at Perris Valley Airport in
Perris, California Perris is an old railway city in Riverside County, California, United States, located east-southeast of Los Angeles and north of San Diego. It is known for Lake Perris, skydiving, the Southern California Railway Museum, and its sunny dry cli ...
. With the steps on the ventral stairs removed, it is the only airline transport class jet certified to date by the FAA for skydiving operations as of 2006.Perris Valley Skydiving DC-9 Video This is the last and only -21 series still airworthy, and after being out of service for over a decade, it returned to the sky on May 7th, 2024 During the mid 1990s,
Northwest Airlines Northwest Airlines (often abbreviated as NWA) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1926 until it Delta Air Lines–Northwest Airlines merger, merged with Delta Air Lines in 2010. The merger made Delta the largest airline ...
was the largest operator of the type in the world, flying 180 DC-9s.Norris and Wagner 1999, p. 23. After its acquisition of Northwest Airlines,
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, operating nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being its ...
operated a sizable fleet of DC-9s, most of which were over 30 years old at the time. With severe increases in fuel prices in the summer of 2008, Northwest Airlines began retiring its DC-9s, switching to Airbus A319s that are 27% more fuel efficient. As the Northwest/Delta merger progressed, Delta returned several stored DC-9s to service. Delta Air Lines made its last DC-9 commercial flight from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Atlanta on January 6, 2014, with the flight number DL2014.


Deliveries


Accidents and incidents

, the DC-9 family aircraft has been involved in 276 major
aviation accidents and incidents An aviation accident is an event during aircraft operation that results serious injury, death, or significant destruction. An aviation incident is any operating event that compromises safety but does not escalate into an aviation accident. Pre ...
, including 156 hull-losses, with 3,697 fatalities combined (all generations of family members)= (1st gen., DC-9 series): 107 hull-losses & 2,250 fatalities + (2nd gen.,
MD-80 The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a series of five-abreast narrow-body aircraft, single-aisle airliners developed by McDonnell Douglas. It was produced by the developer company until August 1997 and then by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The MD-80 ...
series): 46 hull-losses & 1,446 fatalities + (3rd gen.,
MD-90 The McDonnell Douglas (later Boeing) MD-90 is a retired American five-abreast narrow-body aircraft, single-aisle airliner developed by McDonnell Douglas from its successful model McDonnell Douglas MD-80, MD-80. The airliner was produced by the ...
series including
Boeing 717 The Boeing 717 is an American five-abreast narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Twinjet, twin-engine airliner was developed for the 100-seat market and originally marketed by McDonnell Dougla ...
): 3 hull-losses & 1 fatality.


Accidents with fatalities

* On October 1, 1966,
West Coast Airlines Flight 956 West Coast Airlines Flight 956 was a scheduled commercial flight in the western United States which crashed on October 1, 1966, approximately south of Wemme, Oregon, southeast of Portland. Thirteen passengers and five crew members were aboa ...
crashed with eighteen fatalities and no survivors. This accident marked the first loss of a DC-9. * On March 9, 1967,
TWA Flight 553 Trans World Airlines (TWA) Flight 553 was a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15 jet airliner, registration N1063T, operated by Trans World Airlines on March 9, 1967 between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Dayton, Ohio. While descending toward Dayton about ...
crashed in a field in Concord Township, near
Urbana, Ohio Urbana is a city in Champaign County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located about northeast of Dayton, Ohio, Dayton and west of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus. The population was 11,115 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...
, following a
mid-air collision In aviation, a mid-air collision is an aviation accident, accident in which two or more aircraft come into unplanned contact during flight. The potential for a mid-air collision is increased by Aviation communication, miscommunication, mistrus ...
with a
Beechcraft Baron The Beechcraft Baron is a light twin-engined piston aircraft designed and produced by Beechcraft. The aircraft was introduced in 1961. A low-wing monoplane developed from the Travel Air, it remains in production. Design and development The ...
, an accident that triggered substantial changes in
air traffic control Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled air ...
procedures. All 25 people on board the DC-9 and the sole occupant of the Beechcraft were killed. * On March 27, 1968,
Ozark Air Lines Flight 965 Ozark Air Lines Flight 965 was a scheduled commercial flight from Chicago, Illinois, to Lambert Field in St. Louis, Missouri, with a scheduled intermediate stopover at Greater Peoria Regional Airport in Peoria, Illinois. On March 27, 1968, the ...
, a DC-9-15, collided with a Cessna 150F while both aircraft were on approach to the same runway at
Lambert Field St. Louis Lambert International Airport is the primary international airport serving metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Commonly referred to as Lambert Field or simply Lambert, it is the largest and busiest airport in the s ...
in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cessna crashed, killing the two pilots aboard, while the DC-9 landed safely with no injuries to the 49 passengers and crew. * On March 16, 1969, Viasa Flight 742, a DC-9-32, crashed into the La Trinidad neighborhood of
Maracaibo, Venezuela Maracaibo ( , ; ) is a city and municipality in northwestern Venezuela, on the western shore of the strait that connects Lake Maracaibo to the Gulf of Venezuela. It is the largest city in Venezuela and is the second-largest city proper in Venezu ...
, during a failed take-off. All 84 people on board the aircraft, as well as 71 people on the ground, were killed. With 155 dead in all, this was the deadliest crash involving a member of the original DC-9 family, as well as the worst crash in civil aviation history at the time it took place. * On September 9, 1969, Allegheny Airlines Flight 853, a DC-9-30, collided in mid-air with a
Piper PA-28 Cherokee The Piper PA-28 Cherokee is a family of two-seat or four-seat light aircraft built by Piper Aircraft and designed for flight training, air taxi and personal use.Plane and Pilot: ''1978 Aircraft Directory'', pages 62–64. Werner & Werner Corp, ...
near
Fairland, Indiana Fairland is a town in Brandywine Township, Shelby County, Indiana. The population was 315 at the 2010 census. History Construction of the Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Lafayette Railroad began in 1849, and Fairland was platted in 1852. Isaac O ...
. The DC-9 carried 78 passengers and four crew members, the Piper, one pilot. Both aircraft were destroyed, and all occupants were killed.NTSB Report (PDF)
* On February 15, 1970, a
Dominicana de Aviación Compañía Dominicana de Aviación, usually shortened to Dominicana, was an airline based in the Dominican Republic and served as the flag carrier for the country. History Dominicana was established in 1944 in an effort to create a national ...
DC-9-32 crashed after taking off from
Santo Domingo Santo Domingo, formerly known as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic and the List of metropolitan areas in the Caribbean, largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean by population. the Distrito Na ...
. The crash, possibly caused by contaminated fuel, killed all 102 passengers and crew, including champion boxer Teo Cruz. * On May 2, 1970, an
Overseas National Airways Overseas National Airways (ONA) was a supplemental air carrier (also known as an irregular air carrier or a non-scheduled carrier) during the period in which the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), a now defunct United States Federal agency, tightly ...
DC-9-33 leased to
ALM Antillean Airlines ALM Antillean Airlines (), and later Air ALM, was the main airline of the Netherlands Antilles between its foundation in 1964 and its shut-down in 2001, operating out of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. It was based at Hato International Airport. H ...
and operating as
ALM Flight 980 ALM Flight 980 was a regularly scheduled international passenger flight that originated in John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, to Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles, on May 2, 1970. ...
diverted to
Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands Saint Croix ( ; ; ; ; Danish and ; ) is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincorporated territory of the United States. St. Croix is the largest of the terr ...
, after three landing attempts in poor weather at
Princess Juliana International Airport Princess Juliana International Airport is the main airport on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin. The airport is located on the Dutch side of the island, in the country of Sint Maarten, close to the shore of Simpson Bay Lagoon. In 2015, the ...
on Saint Maarten. The aircraft ran out of fuel 30 mi (48 km) short of St. Croix,
ditched In aviation, a water landing is, in the broadest sense, an aircraft landing on a body of water. Seaplanes, such as floatplanes and flying boats, land on water as a normal operation. Ditching is a controlled emergency landing on the water surf ...
in the Caribbean Sea, sank in deep water after about ten minutes, and was never recovered. 40 people survived the ditching; 23 perished. * On November 14, 1970,
Southern Airways Flight 932 Southern Airways Flight 932 was a chartered Southern Airways Douglas DC-9 domestic United States commercial jet flight from Stallings Field (ISO) in Kinston, North Carolina, to Huntington Tri-State Airport/Milton J. Ferguson Field (HTS) near ...
, a DC-9, crashed into a hill near
Tri-State Airport Tri-State Airport (Milton J. Ferguson Field) is a public airport in Wayne County, West Virginia, United States, three miles south of Huntington, West Virginia, near Ceredo, West Virginia, Ceredo and Kenova, West Virginia, Kenova. Owned by the T ...
in Huntington, West Virginia. All 75 on board were killed (including 37 members of the
Marshall University Marshall University is a public university, public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1837 and is named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States, chief justice of the Uni ...
Thundering Herd football team, eight members of the coaching staff, 25 boosters, and others). * On June 6, 1971, Hughes Airwest Flight 706 was involved in a midair collision with a U.S. Marine Corps F-4 Phantom fighter. All 49 people on board the DC-9 died; one of two aboard the USMC aircraft ejected and survived. * On January 21, 1972, a
Turkish Airlines Turkish Airlines (Turkish language, Turkish: ''Türk Hava Yolları''), or legally Türk Hava Yolları Anonim Ortaklığı, is the flag carrier of Turkey. , it operates scheduled services to 352 destinations (including cargo) in Europe, Asia, Oce ...
DC-9-32 TC-JAC diverted to
Adana Adana is a large city in southern Turkey. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, inland from the northeastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the administrative seat of the Adana Province, Adana province, and has a population of 1 81 ...
,
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
after pressurization problems. The aircraft hit the ground during downwind on the 2nd approach and caught fire. There was one fatality. * On January 26, 1972, JAT Flight 367 from
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
to
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, a DC-9-32, was destroyed in flight by a bomb placed on board. The sole survivor was a flight attendant,
Vesna Vulović Vesna Vulović ( sr-Cyrl, Весна Вуловић, ; 3 January 195023 December 2016) was a Serbian flight attendant who survived the highest fall without a parachute: or 33,333 feet. She was the sole survivor of JAT Flight 367 after an exp ...
, who holds the record for the world's longest fall without a parachute when she fell some inside a section of the airplane and survived. * On March 19, 1972, EgyptAir Flight 763, a DC-9-32, crashed into the Shamsam Mountains on a approach. All 30 passengers and crew members were killed. * On May 30, 1972, Delta Air Lines Flight 9570, a DC-9-14, crashed due to
wake turbulence Wake turbulence is a disturbance in the Atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere that forms behind an aircraft as it passes through the air. It includes several components, the most significant of which are wingtip vortices and jet-wash, the rapidly moving ...
while attempting to land at
Greater Southwest International Airport Greater Southwest International Airport , originally Amon Carter Field (ACF), was a commercial airport serving Fort Worth, Texas, from 1953 until 1974. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) opened in 1974 a few miles north to replace Gr ...
in Fort Worth behind a
McDonnell Douglas DC-10 The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is an American trijet wide-body aircraft manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 was intended to succeed the Douglas DC-8, DC-8 for long-Range (aeronautics), range flights. It first flew on August 29, 1970; i ...
. All 4 occupants aboard the DC-9 were killed. The accident prompted a pioneering FAA study into wake turbulence which resulted in the introduction of aircraft separation standards to mitigate its dangers. * On December 20, 1972,
North Central Airlines North Central Airlines was a local service carrier, a scheduled airline in the Midwestern United States. Founded as Wisconsin Central Airlines in 1944 in Clintonville, Wisconsin, the company moved to Madison in 1947. This is also when the "Her ...
Flight 575, a DC-9-31, collided during its takeoff roll with
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, operating nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being its ...
Flight 954, a
Convair CV-880 The Convair 880 is a retired American narrow-body jet airliner produced by the Convair division of General Dynamics. It was designed to compete with the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 by being smaller but faster, a niche that failed to create demand ...
''N8807E'' that was taxiing across the same runway at
O'Hare International Airport Chicago O'Hare International Airport is the primary international airport serving Chicago, Illinois, United States, located on the city's Northwest Side, approximately northwest of the Chicago Loop, Loop business district. The airport is ope ...
in Chicago. The DC-9 was destroyed, killing 10 and injuring 15 of the 45 people on board; two people among the 93 aboard the Convair 880 suffered minor injuries. Both aircraft were written off. * On 5 March 1973,
Iberia The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, compri ...
Flight 504, a DC-9-32, flying from
Palma de Mallorca Airport Palma de Mallorca Airport — also known as Son Sant Joan Airport – is an international airport located east of Palma, Mallorca, Spain, adjacent to the village of Can Pastilla. In 2024, the airport handled 33.3 million passengers, making ...
to
Heathrow Airport Heathrow Airport , also colloquially known as London Heathrow Airport and named ''London Airport'' until 1966, is the primary and largest international airport serving London, the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdo ...
when it collided in mid-air with
Spantax Spantax S.A. was a Spanish leisure airline headquartered in Madrid that operated from 6 October 1959 to 29 March 1988. Spantax was one of the first Spanish airlines to operate tourist charter flights between European and North American cities and ...
Flight 400, a
Convair 990 The Convair 990 Coronado is a retired American narrow-body four-engined jet airliner produced between 1961 and 1963 by the Convair division of American company General Dynamics. It was a stretched version of its earlier Convair 880 produced in ...
. All 68 people on board the DC-9 were killed. The CV-990 landed safely at
Cognac – Châteaubernard Air Base Cognac – Châteaubernard Air Base ( or BA 709) is a base of the French Air and Space Force (Armée de l'air et de l'espace) located in Châteaubernard, 2.8 kilometres south of Cognac. Both locations are ''communes'' of the Charente ''départe ...
. * On June 20, 1973, Aeroméxico Flight 229, a DC-9-15, crashed into the side of a mountain on approach to
Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (), simply known as Puerto Vallarta International Airport (), is an international airport serving Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico. It serves as a gateway to the Mexican tourist destination of ...
near Puerto Vallarta. All 27 passengers and crew members killed. * On July 31, 1973, Delta Air Lines Flight 723, a DC-9-31, crashed into a
seawall A seawall (or sea wall) is a form of coastal defense constructed where the sea, and associated coastal processes, impact directly upon the landforms of the coast. The purpose of a seawall is to protect areas of human habitation, conservation, ...
at
Logan International Airport General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport — also known as Boston Logan International Airport — is an international airport located mostly in East Boston and partially in Winthrop, Massachusetts, United States. Covering , it has ...
in Boston, killing all 83 passengers and 6 crew members on board, including one passenger who initially survived but died months later. * On September 11, 1974, Eastern Air Lines Flight 212, a DC-9-30, crashed just short of the runway at
Charlotte Douglas International Airport Charlotte Douglas International Airport is an international airport serving Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, located roughly west of the city's central business district. Charlotte Douglas is the primary airport for commercial and m ...
, killing 72 out of the 82 occupants. * On December 22, 1974, Avensa Flight 358, a DC-9-14, crashed after takeoff from
Maturín Airport Maturín () is a city in Venezuela, the capital of the Venezuelan States of Venezuela, state of Monagas and a centre for instrumental exploration and development of the petroleum industry in Venezuela. The metropolitan area of Maturín has a popul ...
. All 75 passengers and crew members died. * On October 30, 1975,
Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 450 Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 450, JP 450, was an international air charter, charter flight from Tivat in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to Prague, Czechoslovakia which crashed in the Prague suburb of Suchdol (Prague), Suchdol on Oc ...
, a DC-9-32, hit high ground in Prague while on approach to
Prague Ruzyně Airport Prague ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan area is home to approximately 2.3 m ...
. 75 of the 120 people aboard were killed. * On September 10, 1976, Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 550, a DC-9-31, collided with
British Airways British Airways plc (BA) is the flag carrier of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London, England, near its main Airline hub, hub at Heathrow Airport. The airline is the second largest UK-based carrier, based on fleet size and pass ...
Flight 476, a
Hawker Siddeley Trident 3B The Hawker Siddeley HS-121 Trident (originally the de Havilland DH.121 and briefly the Airco DH.121) is a British airliner produced by Hawker Siddeley. In 1957, de Havilland proposed its DH.121 trijet design to a British European Airways (BEA) ...
, over the Croatian town of Vrbovec, killing all 176 people aboard both aircraft. * On April 4, 1977, Southern Airways Flight 242, a DC-9-31, lost engine power while flying through a severe thunderstorm. During an attempted forced landing on a highway in New Hope, Paulding County, Georgia, New Hope, Georgia, the jet struck roadside buildings, killing both pilots, 61 passengers, and 9 people on the ground. Both flight attendants and 20 passengers survived. * On June 26, 1978, Air Canada Flight 189, a DC-9-32, overran the runway at Toronto Pearson International Airport during a rejected takeoff prompted by a blown tire. Two of the 107 passengers and crew were killed. * On December 23, 1978, Alitalia Flight 4128 crashed in Tyrrhenian Sea which on approach to Rome Fiumicino Airport, killed 108 of 129 passengers and crew members on board. * On September 14, 1979, Aero Trasporti Italiani Flight 12, a DC-9-32 crashed in the mountains near Cagliari, Italy, while approaching Cagliari-Elmas Airport. All 27 passengers and 4 crew members died in the crash and ensuing fire. * On June 27, 1980, Itavia Flight 870, DC-9-15 ''I-TIGI'', broke up mid-air after an explosion and crashed into the sea near the Italian island of Ustica, killing all 81 people on board. The event spawned numerous conspiracy theories, inconclusive investigations into an alleged cover-up by the Italian military, and one of the longest court inquiries in Italian history, which resulted in a 2013 ruling that the DC-9 was shot down by an air-to-air missile launched by a warplane, but without identifying who fired the missile or why. A popular theory endorsed by Giuliano Amato and Francesco Cossiga, both former Prime Ministers of Italy, says that the French Air Force shot down the DC-9 while trying to down a different aircraft carrying Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, but no conclusive evidence of this has been presented. * On July 27, 1981, Aeroméxico Flight 230, a DC-9-32 ran off the runway a Chihuahua International Airport. Thirty passengers and two crew of the 66 on board were killed. Bad weather and pilot error were the causes of the accident. * On November 8, 1981, Aeroméxico Flight 110, a DC-9-32, experienced a cabin decompression and crash near Zihuatanejo while initializing a emergency descent, killing all 18 passengers and crew members. * On March 11, 1983, Avensa Flight 007, a DC-9-32, landed hard at Barquisimeto Airport, skidded off the runway and exploded, killing 23 of the 50 passengers and crew members. * On June 2, 1983, Air Canada Flight 797, a DC-9 experienced an electrical fire in the aft lavatory during flight, resulting in an emergency landing at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. During evacuation, the sudden influx of oxygen caused a flash fire throughout the cabin, resulting in the deaths of 23 of the 41 passengers, including Canadians, Canadian folk singer Stan Rogers. All five crew members survived. * On December 7, 1983, in the Madrid runway disaster, a departing
Iberia The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, compri ...
Boeing 727 The Boeing 727 is an American Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner that was developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. After the heavier Boeing 707, 707 quad-jet was introduced in 1958, Boeing addressed the demand for shorter ...
struck an Aviaco DC-9, causing the death of 93 passengers and crew. All 42 passengers and crew on board the DC-9 were killed. * On December 20, 1983, Ozark Air Lines Flight 650, a DC-9-31, struck a snowplow on landing at Sioux Falls Regional Airport in low visibility. The right wing was torn from the jet; the snowplow driver was killed and two flight attendants were injured. The accident was attributed to inadequate
air traffic control Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled air ...
(ATC) supervision of snow-clearing operations. *On September 6, 1985, Midwest Express Airlines Flight 105, operated with a DC-9-14, crashed just after takeoff from General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee. The crash was caused by improper control inputs by the flight crew after the number 2 engine failed, and all 31 aboard were killed. * On August 31, 1986, Aeroméxico Flight 498 1986 Cerritos mid-air collision, collided in mid-air with a Piper Cherokee over the city of Cerritos, California, then crashed into the city, killing all 64 aboard the aircraft, 15 people on the ground, and all three in the small plane. * On April 4, 1987, Garuda Indonesia Flight 035, a DC-9-32, hit a pylon and crashed on approach to Polonia International Airport in bad weather with 24 fatalities. * On November 15, 1987, Continental Airlines Flight 1713, a DC-9-14, crashed on takeoff from Stapleton International Airport in bad weather with 28 fatalities. This accident was attributed to a combination of ATC confusion, exceeding the allowed time limit for takeoff after de-icing the wings, and inexperienced crew. * On March 18, 1989, the main external cargo door of Evergreen International Airlines Flight 17, a DC-9-33F freighter, opened shortly after takeoff from Carswell Air Force Base. The airliner crashed in Saginaw, Texas, while attempting to return to Carswell, killing the two pilots. The accident was attributed to a loss of aircraft control. Contributing factors included a known electrical design flaw that caused the cockpit warning light to indicate that the door was latched properly when it was not; investigators faulted the FAA for not mandating corrective measures after similar incidents involving improperly latched DC-9 cargo doors. * On November 14, 1990, Alitalia Flight 404, a DC-9-32, crashed into a mountain on approach to Zurich Airport at night, killing all 46 persons on board. The crash was attributed to an instrument landing system receiver malfunction that caused incorrect altitude indications, the fact that the mountain was not lighted, and poor judgment by the pilots, particularly the captain's decision to disregard the first officer's concerns about incongruous altitude readings and continue the approach. * On December 3, 1990, the pilots of Northwest Airlines Flight 1482, a DC-9-14, became disoriented in fog at Detroit-Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Michigan, and entered the active runway instead of the taxiway instructed by ATC; the jet was then 1990 Wayne County Airport runway collision, struck by a departing Boeing 727, killing nine. * On February 17, 1991, Ryan International Airlines Flight 590, a DC-9-15RC operating a mail flight, crashed on takeoff from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, killing both pilots. The accident was attributed to the pilots' failure to properly deice the aircraft, and to "a lack of appropriate response" by the FAA, Douglas, and the airline to "the known critical effect that a minute amount of ice contamination has on the stall characteristics of the DC-9 series 10 airplane."
Copy at
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University.
* On March 5, 1991, Aeropostal Alas de Venezuela Flight 108, a DC-9-32, crashed into a mountainside in Trujillo, Venezuela, killing all 40 passengers and five crew aboard. * On July 2, 1994, USAir Flight 1016, a DC-9-31, crashed near Charlotte Douglas International Airport while performing a go-around prompted by heavy storms and wind shear, killing 37 and injuring 15 aboard. Although the airplane crashed in a residential area with the tail section striking a house, there were no fatalities or injuries on the ground. * On January 11, 1995, Intercontinental de Aviación Flight 256, a DC-9-14, crashed in María La Baja, Colombia, on approach to Rafael Núñez International Airport, killing 51 of 52 passengers and crew members. * On May 11, 1996, ValuJet Flight 592, DC-9-32 N904VJ crashed in the Florida Everglades due to a fire caused by the activation of chemical oxygen generators illegally stored in the hold. The fire damaged the plane's electrical system and eventually overcame the crew, resulting in the deaths of all 110 people on board. * On October 10, 1997, Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 2553, Austral Flight 2553, a DC-9-32, crashed near Fray Bentos, Uruguay, killing all 69 passengers and five crew on board. * On February 2, 1998, Cebu Pacific Flight 387, a DC-9-32, crashed on the slopes of Mount Sumagaya in Misamis Oriental, Philippines, killing all 104 passengers and crew on board. Investigators deemed the incident to be caused by pilot error when the plane made a non-regular stopover to Tacloban. * On November 9, 1999, TAESA Flight 725 crashed a few minutes after leaving Uruapan International Airport en route to Mexico City. 18 people were killed in the accident. * On October 6, 2000, Aeroméxico Flight 250, DC-9-31 ''N936ML'', overran the runway at General Lucio Blanco International Airport in Reynosa, crashed into houses, and fell into a canal; 4 on the ground were killed, but all 83 passengers and 5 crew survived. The accident was attributed to a late and excessively fast touchdown on a runway that was waterlogged due to heavy rainfall from Hurricane Keith. * On 10 December 2005, Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 crash-landed at Port Harcourt International Airport, Nigeria. There were 108 fatalities and two survivors. * On April 15, 2008, Hewa Bora Airways Flight 122 crashed into a residential neighborhood, in the Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, resulting in the deaths of at least 44 people. * On July 6, 2008, USA Jet Airlines Flight 199, a DC-9-15F, crashed on approach to Saltillo, Mexico, after a flight from Shreveport, Louisiana. The captain died and the first officer was seriously injured.


Hull losses

* On December 27, 1968, Ozark Air Lines Flight 982, a DC-9-15, crashed during takeoff at Sioux Gateway Airport. All 68 passengers and crew members survived, but 35 were injured. The accident was attributed to the pilots' failure to deice the wings and their selection of an improper takeoff thrust setting. * On November 27, 1973,
Eastern Airlines Eastern Air Lines (also colloquially known as Eastern) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution, it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade ...
Flight 300, a DC-9-31 aircraft registration, registered ''N8967E'', landed long at Akron-Canton Airport in light rain and fog, overran the runway, and went over an embankment. All 21 passengers and 5 crew survived with various injuries. * On February 21, 1986, USAir Flight 499, a DC-9-31 registered ''N961VJ'', landed long in low visibility and overran runway 24 at Erie International Airport, coming to rest on a road. One passenger suffered minor injuries; the other 17 passengers and 5 crew were uninjured. The crash was attributed to the pilots' decisions to continue an excessively fast approach, and to land downwind in snow, which was prohibited on runway 24. * On April 18, 1993, Japan Air System Flight 451, a DC-9-41, skidded off the runway at Hanamaki Airport after the inexperienced pilot mishandled a go-around attempt due to windshear and landed hard. There were 19 injuries in the crash and ensuing fire, but all 77 aboard survived.


Aircraft on display


Canada

* CF-TLL (cn 47021) – DC-9-32 on static display at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was previously operated by Air Canada.


Czechia

* N1332U (cn 47404) – DC-9-31 nose section preserved at industrial area in Liberec, Czechia and rebuilt into flight simulator. The DC-9 was previously operated by Northwest.


Indonesia

* PK-GNC (cn 47481) – DC-9-32 painted in Garuda Indonesia's 1960s livery and put on display inside GMF AeroAsia, GMF hangar in Soekarno–Hatta International Airport, Soekarno-Hatta Airport. * PK-GNT (cn 47790) – DC-9-32 on static display at the Transportation Museum in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was relegated to display status after suffering heavy damage in a landing accident in 1993. It was previously operated by Garuda Indonesia.


Italy

* MM62012 (cn 47595) – DC-9-32 on static display at Volandia adjacent to Milan Malpensa Airport. This aircraft was operated by the Italian Air Force as a VIP transport, carrying the president of Italy among other duties.


Netherlands

* N929L (cn 47174) – DC-9-32 nose section displayed inside Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Schiphol International Airport. Painted in KLM livery although the plane never served with the airline. It was previously used by Trans World Airlines, TWA and
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, operating nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being its ...
.


Mexico

* XA-JEB – Ex Aeromexico DC-9-32 on display at a park in Cadereyta de Montes, Querétaro, Mexico. Formerly Hugh Hefner's private jet, the 'Big Bunny', XA-JEB was sold in 1975 to Venezuela Airlines, who later sold it to Aeromexico, where it was operated until 2004. It was sold and placed on display in 2008 for use as an educational tool. * N942ML – with painted registration "XA-SFE" is found on the second floor of the Luxury shopping mall Centro Santa Fe, "Centro Comercial Santa Fe" in the Santa Fe, Mexico City, business district of Mexico City. It is on display with an Interjet livery for the Kidzania brand. * N606NW – with painted registration "XA-MEX" can be found in Cuicuilo Plaza at the south of the city. Similar to "XA-SFE", it wears an Interjet Livery for the Kidzania brand.


Spain

* EC-BQZ (cn 47456) – DC-9-32 on static display at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport in Madrid. * EC-DGB – DC-9-34 front section only preserved at Elder Museum of Science and Technology, Gran Canaria.


United States

* N675MC (cn 47651) – DC-9-51 on static display at the Delta Flight Museum at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It arrived at the museum on 27 April 2014. It was previously operated by Delta Air Lines. * N779NC (cn 48101) – DC-9-51 was on static display at the Carolinas Aviation Museum at
Charlotte Douglas International Airport Charlotte Douglas International Airport is an international airport serving Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, located roughly west of the city's central business district. Charlotte Douglas is the primary airport for commercial and m ...
in Charlotte, North Carolina, until it was scrapped in January 2017. It was previously operated by Delta Air Lines. * N782NC (cn 48107) – DC-9-51 on static display at Thief River Falls Regional Airport near Thief River Falls, Minnesota. It and N779NC were both flown from Atlanta to their final homes on January 23, 2014 after Delta Air Lines ceased DC-9 passenger operations with a flight from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Atlanta on January 6, 2014.


Specifications


See also


References


Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * *


External links

* *
McDonnell Douglas commercial history page for DC-9 series

DC-9-10/20/30 on Airliners.net
an
DC-9-40/50 on Airliners.net

DC-9 History on AviationHistoryOnline.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mcdonnell Douglas DC-09 McDonnell Douglas DC-9, 1960s United States airliners Douglas aircraft, DC-09 McDonnell Douglas aircraft, DC-09 Twinjets T-tail aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1965 Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear