Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Providence, Rhode Island 02901
Tuesady, March 22, 1988 9:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE BOEING 757 WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 20000 FT WITH THE FIRST OFFICER ON THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WHEN THE 55 YEAR OLD CAPTAIN BECAME INCAPACITATED. THE FIRST OFFICER DELCARED AN EMERGENCY AND MADE A NORMAL LANDING. WHEN CLEAR OF THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT WAS STOPPED AND THE CAPTAIN PLACED IN A WAITING AMBULANCE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE GATE AND THE PASSENGERS DEPLANED NORMALLY. IT WAS FOUND THE CAPTAIN HAD SUFFERED A FOCAL SEIZURE AND HAD A BRAIN TUMOR. THE CAPTAIN WAS DESCRIBED AS VERY HEAVY SMOKER WHO ALSO HAD LUNG CANCER. HE DIED 7 MONTHS AFTER THE INCAPACITATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/22/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PROVIDENCE
Event State RHODE ISLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02901
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 99
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5024
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36782
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N628DL
NTSB Number NYC88IA112
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 757
Aircraft Series Identifier 757
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 200000
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 205
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 300
Airframe Hours 2539
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DELTA AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address HARTSFIELD INT'L AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City ATLANTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30320
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code DALA
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BOS
Departure City BOSTON
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 820
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MIA
Destination City MIAMI
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --