La Guardia Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New York, New York 11371
Tuesady, January 16, 1990 15:03 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE PREPARING FOR FLT IN A BOEING 757, THE 1ST OFFICER (FO) INADVERTENTLY COMPUTED THE TAKEOFF DATA BY USING THE BOEING 767 DATA. V1, VR & V2 SPEEDS WERE CALCULATED TO BE 115, 118 & 129 KTS. THE CORRECT SPEEDS SHOULD HAVE BEEN 145, 148 & 152 KTS. THE CAPT DID NOT CONFIRM THE V-SPEED COMPUTATION; BOTH PLTS SET THEIR AIRSPEED BUGS AT THE IMPROPER SPEEDS. DURING LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT WAS OVERROTATED & THE LOWER AFT FUSELAGE CONTACTED THE RWY. THE CREW NOTED A 'JOLT,' BUT ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO THEIR DESTN AFTER DISCUSSING THE SITUATION WITH MAINTENANCE PSNL. AFTER LANDING, DAMAGE WAS NOTED TO THE LOWER AFT SKIN, AFT PRESSURE BULKHEAD & ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

OVERROTATION OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE FIRST OFFICER'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT MANUAL, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS IMPROPER CALCULATIONS OF THE ROTATION SPEED, AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION CONCERNING VERIFICATION OF THE TAKEOFF DATA BY THE CAPTAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/16/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1503
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NEW YORK
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11371
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LA GUARDIA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LGA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 22
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1503 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LGA
Elevation of weather observation facility 22
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 20
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 176
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 17 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1450
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40608
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N505UA
NTSB Number DEN90LA046
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 757-222
Aircraft Series Identifier 757-222
Aircraft Serial Number 24626
Certified Max Gross Weight 231000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 197
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Dec 27 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 166
Airframe Hours 459
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name U.T. FINANCE CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 400 MAIN STREET
Aircraft Owner City HARTFORD
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06108
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name UNITED AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 66100
Operator City CHICAGO
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60666
Operator Code UALA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LGA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1531
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DEN
Destination City DENVER
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --