Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Casper, Wyoming 82602
Tuesady, June 2, 1987 10:12 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BOEING 727 (NORTHWEST FLT 354) & USAF EC-135 (SLUM 51) WERE INVOLVED IN A NR COLLISION AT FL 330. THE MISHAP OCCURRED ASFLT 354 WAS ENE BND ON J-158 & SLUM 51 WAS FLYING ON A RADIAL-DISTANCE (R/D) FLT PLN, FLYING BTN R/D PTS SOUTH OF J-158.AS SLUM 51 APCHD ITS MOST WESTERN PT, THE CREW REQD A RGT TURN TO A R/D PT THAT WAS NOT THE NEXT LISTED PT ON THEIR FLT PLN. THE TRAINEE CTLR (T/C) DIDN'T REALIZE SLUM 51 WAS REQG A ROUTE CHG, BUT THOUGHT THE FLT WANTED TO TURN BACK EAST TOTHE NEXT FILED R/D PT WITH A RGT TURN (INSTEAD OF A L TURN AS PREVIOUSLY DONE). THE T/C REPLIED, 'UNABLE RGT TURN, MAKE A LEFT TURN.' THE INSTRUCTOR HEARD THE REQ, BUT THOUGHT THE T/C'S REPLY WAS DISAPPROVAL OF A ROUTE CHG. AS THE CTLRS TURNED THEIR ATTN TO OTR (HVY/COMPLEX) TRAFFIC, SLUM 51 CONTD A 270 DEG L TURN (TO NORTH) & CONVERGED WITH FLT 354. THE 9020 (PRIMARY) COMPUTER WAS INOP; THE DARC (BACKUP) COMPUTER HAD NO CAPABILITY OF DISPLAYING PROJECTED ROUTES OR PROVID-ING CONFLICT ALERT. NO FLOW CTL RESTRICTIONS WERE IN EFFECT TO RDC THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 6/2/1987
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1012
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CASPER
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82602
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 6
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 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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) --
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 72
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5036
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 2 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
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 N297US USAF
NTSB Number DEN87IA145A DEN87IA145B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier Armed Forces
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 BOEING Boeing
Aircraft Model 727-251 EC-135
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-251 EC-135
Aircraft Serial Number 21789
Certified Max Gross Weight 191500 325000
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil Military
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 134 --
Number of Engines 3 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Unknown
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection -- --
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name NORTHWEST AIRLINES, INC. UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
Aircraft Owner Street Address MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL IT'L ARPT
Aircraft Owner City ST. PAUL ELLSWORTH AFB
Aircraft Owner State MN SD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55111
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code NWAA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder None
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes No
Departure Airport Code SFO RCA
Departure City SAN FRANCISCO RAPID CITY
Departure State CA SD
Departure Country
Departure Time 0 705
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt -- dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MSP
Destination City MINNEAPOLIS
Destination State MN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM Oct 22 2001 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --