Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New York, New York 11371
Sunday, April 23, 1989 17:49 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CESSNA 421, N247CB, WAS RECEIVING RADAR ADVISORIES FROM NEW YORK TRACON WHILE PROCEEDING WESTBOUND AT 10,500 FT. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, PAN AM FLT 542 (BOEING 727, N553PE) WAS PROCEEDING NORTHEAST AT 10,000 FT WITH AN IFR CLNC. AT 1744:32 EDT, THE LIBERTY SECTOR CTLR GAVE THE CESSNA PLT A FREQ CHANGE TO THE LAGUARDIA SECTOR, WHICH WAS THE NEXT SECTOR TO THE WEST; HE THEN CHANGED THE CESSNA 421'S DATA BLOCK TO A LIMITED DATA BLOCK. AT 1748, FLT 542 WAS GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE FROM THE LAGUARDIA SECTOR TO THE LIBERTY SECTOR. AT 1749:04, BEFORE THE TWO ACFT HAD PASSED EACH OTHER, THE LIBERTY SECTOR CTLR CLRD FLT 542 TO CLIMB TO 17,000 FT & TO TURN TO A HDG OF 080 DEG. THE CESSNA PLT HAD BEEN GIVEN A TRAFFIC ADVISORY (BY THE LAGUARDIA CTLR) & WAS WATCHING FLT 542. WHEN THE CESSNA PLT REALIZED FLT 542 HAD STARTED TO CLIMB, HE PULLED UP TO AVOID A COLLISION. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, ONE OF THE PLTS OF FLT 542 SAW THE CESSNA & PUSHED THE NOSE OF HIS ACFT DOWN FOR EVASIVE ACTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE LIBERTY SECTOR CONTROLLER TO ADVISE PAN AM FLIGHT 542 OF THE PRESENCE OF THE CESSNA 421 AND/OR RESTRICT THE CLIMB OF FLIGHT 542 UNTIL IT HAD PASSED THE CESSNA, AND FAILURE OF THE PAN AM AIRCREW TO SEE THE CESSNA IN ADEQUATE TIME TO AVOID A NEAR COLLISION.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1749
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEW YORK
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11371
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1756 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID JFK
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
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 208
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5072
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 24 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42014
Date of most recent change to record Aug 30 2001 11:03AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N247CB N553PE
NTSB Number NYC89IA222A NYC89IA222B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed None IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage None None
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA BOEING
Aircraft Model 421C 727-227
Aircraft Series Identifier 421C 727-227
Aircraft Serial Number 421C0299 20774
Certified Max Gross Weight 7450 160000
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 8 169
Number of Engines 2 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Mar 15 1989 12:00AM --
Airframe hours since last inspection 63 --
Airframe Hours 4330 --
ELT Installed Yes No
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name BUN AIR CORPORATION CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 638 2929 ALLEN PARKWAY SUITE 1900
Aircraft Owner City BEDFORD HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State PA TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15522 77019
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name PAN AMERICAN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Street Address 200 PARK AVE
Operator City NEW YORK
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code BAVA PAAA
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
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code HVN LGA
Departure City NEW HAVEN NEW YORK
Departure State CT NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1735 1743
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code 4G9 BOS
Destination City BEDFORD BOSTON
Destination State PA MA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise Climb
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:26PM Jan 10 2001 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --