Los Angeles Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Los Angeles, California 90045
Sunday, October 4, 1987 21:27 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CAPTAIN SENSED THE AIRCRAFT BALLOONING DURING THE FLARE. HE INCREASED THE PITCH ANGLE TO 11.8 DEGREES TO ARREST THE DESCENT DURING TOUCHDOWN. FLIGHT ATTENDANTS SITTING IN THE AFT CABIN CREW SEATS HEARD A SCRAPING SOUND JUST PRIOR TO MAIN LANDING GEAR TOUCHDOWN. THE TAIL STRUCK THE RUNWAY SURFACE DURING THE FLARE. THE AFT PRESSURE DOME WAS SCRAPED, BENT, AND BUCKLED. THE CAPTAIN ATTRIBUTED THE BALLOONING TO WAKE TURBULENCE OF A PRECEEDING DC-8 ARRIVAL. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER 11.0 DEGREES IS THE MAXIMUM PITCH ANGLE WITH THE OLEOS COMPRESSED. THE FDR READOUT DID NOT INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF WAKE TURBULENCE. THE CAPTAIN HAD RECENTLY BEEN TYPE-RATED IN THE BOEING 767 AND HAD ACCRUED A TOTAL OF 46 HOURS IN THE AIRCRAFT, 4.5 HOURS OF WHICH WAS ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/4/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2127
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LOS ANGELES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90045
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LOS ANGELES INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LAX
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 126
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2052 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID LAX
Elevation of weather observation facility 126
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
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) 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 148
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2619
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 5 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1240
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38155
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N604P
NTSB Number LAX88FA006
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 767-201
Aircraft Series Identifier 767-201
Aircraft Serial Number 23898
Certified Max Gross Weight 270000
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 210
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 12
Airframe Hours 1233
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MERIDAN TRUST COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 35 NORTH SIXTH STREET
Aircraft Owner City READING
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PIEDMONT AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 2720
Operator City WINSTON-SALEM
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27102
Operator Code PAIA
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 CLT
Departure City CHARLOTTE
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1740
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LAX
Destination City LOS ANGELES
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 25L
Runway Length 11096
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --