Ontario Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ontario, California 91761
Friday, October 9, 1987 12:05 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CLIMBING THRU 6,500 FEET MSL IN AN ARSA, THE FLT CREW OF THE AAL DC-9-82 OBSERVED A SMALL AIRCRAFT APPROACHING THEIR AIRCRAFT FROM DEAD AHEAD. THE SMALL AIRCRAFT WAS AT THE SAME ALTITUDE AND APROX 1/4 MILE AHEAD OF THEIR POSITION. THE SMALL AIRCRAFT WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH ATC AND CONTINUED ITS COLLISION COURSE TOWARDS THE TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT. THE DC-9-82 CREW INITIATED A RIGHT CLIMBING TURN AWAY FROM THE SMALL AIRCRAFT. THE CREW ESTIMATED THAT THE SMALL AIRCRAFT PASSED 50 FEET BELOW AND TO THE LEFT OF THEIR AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE GENERAL AVIATION AIRCRAFT TO VISUALLY IDENTIFY THE TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT. FACTURES CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE GENERAL AVIAITON AIRCRAFT TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS WITH ATC PRIOR TO ENTERING THE ARSA AND MAINTAINING A POOR LOOKOUT.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 10/9/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1205
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ONTARIO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91761
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 ONTARIO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ONT
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 943
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1145 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID ONT
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6500
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 79
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5102
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 9 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40098
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 N413AA
NTSB Number LAX88IA009
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 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-9-82
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9-82
Aircraft Serial Number 49324
Certified Max Gross Weight 140000
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 172
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WIMINGTON TRUST COMPANY TRUSTE
Aircraft Owner Street Address RODNEY SQUARE NORTH
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19890
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 61916
Operator City DALLAS/FT WORTH
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95261
Operator Code AALA
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 Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ONT
Departure City ONTARIO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1149
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DFW
Destination City DALLAS/FT WORTH
Destination State TX
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 26
Runway Length 12200
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --