John F Kennedy Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New York, New York 11430
Sunday, April 23, 1989 17:01 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

TWO 747S WERE ON APPROACH FOR RWY 31R, FOLLOWED BY A SWEARINGEN SA 227AC MERLIN. THE MERLIN WAS GIVEN A VISUAL APPROACH WHICH THE PILOT ACCEPTED AND TRAFFIC HE WAS TO FOLLOW WAS CALLED AS BEING AT THE 11 O'CLOCK POSITION. RADAR DATA SHOWED THE FIRST 747 ONLY 10 DEGREES TO THE LEFT OF THE NOSE OF THE MERLIN WHICH THE FLIGHT CREW IDENTIFIED AS THE TRAFFIC TO FOLLOW. THE SECOND 747 WHICH WAS THE ONE TO BE FOLLOWED WAS 45 DEGREES TO THE LEFT OF THE NOSE. THE MERLIN PASSED APPROXIMATELY 300 FT OVER THE TOP OF THE 2ND 747 IN THE VICINITY OF THE OUTER MARKER WHILE ON THE VISUAL APPROACH. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN. THE CAPTAIN OF THE MERLIN SAID HE NORMALLY FLYS 1 TO 1 1/2 DOTS HIGH ON THE GLIDE SLOPE FOR WAKE TURBULENCE. THE SUN WAS AT AN ANGLE THAT BACKLIGHTED BOTH 747S.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE SWEARINGEN FLIGHT CREW TO PROPERLY IDENTIFY THE AIRPLANE THEY WERE TO FOLLOW, PRIOR TO ACCEPTING THE VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 31R.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1701
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEW YORK
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11430
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JOHN F KENNEDY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JFK
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 13
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID JFK
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 241
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5062
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41735
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N3044J N305TW
NTSB Number NYC89IA123A NYC89IA123B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage None None
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name FAIRCHILD SWEARINGEN BOEING
Aircraft Model SA-227AC 747-284B
Aircraft Series Identifier SA-227AC 747-284B
Aircraft Serial Number AC-466 20742
Certified Max Gross Weight 14600 775000
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 20 495
Number of Engines 2 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Apr 19 1989 12:00AM --
Airframe hours since last inspection 23 --
Airframe Hours 14986 --
ELT Installed Yes Unknown
ELT Activated No Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES & JEAN HARALE TRANS WORLD AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4249 COUNTRY CLUB DR. 100 SOUTH BEDFORD ROAD
Aircraft Owner City BAKERFIELD MT KISCO
Aircraft Owner State CA NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93306 10549
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name POCONO AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address WILKES BARRE/SCRANTON AIRPORT
Operator City AVOCA
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 18641
Operator Code PLAA TWAA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code PVD LHR
Departure City PROVIDENCE LUNDON
Departure State RI OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 0 942
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach Approach
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31R 31R
Runway Length 10000 10000
Runway Width 150 150
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --