Los Angeles Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Los Angeles, California 90045
Tuesady, December 1, 1987 12:53 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DELTA FLT 1605 LANDED ON RWY 25L. AFTER CROSSING RWY 25R, THE LOCAL CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE FLT TO CONTACT THE GND CONTROLLER. THE GROUND CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE FLT TO TURN WEST ON THE OUTER TAXIWAY. THE CAPT BECAME DISORIENTATED AND INADVERTENTLY REENTERED RWY 25R. HE IMMEDIATELY REALIZED HIS MISTAKE AND EXECUTED A 180 DEG TURN AND EXITED THE RWY. WHEN THE FLT ENTERED RWY 25R, UNITED AIRLINES FLT 14, A DC-10 HAD ALREADY BEGUN ITS TAKEOFF ROLL. THE CAPT ABOARD UAL FLT 14 ELECTED TO CONTINUE ITS TAKEOFF ROLL, ROTATED AND BEGAN ITS CLIMB. UAL FLT 14 CROSSED OVER DELTA FLT 1605 ABOUT 200 FT A.G.L. DELTA'S CAPT REPTD THAT DUE TO HEAVY CONSTRUCTION AT THE TERMINAL AREA HE BECAME DISORIENTATED EVEN THOUGH HE HAD FLOWN AT LAX FOR MANY YEARS. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE RWY 25R SIGN WAS NOT VISIBLE. INVESTIGATORS FOUND THAT THE SIGN HAD BEEN BLOWN OVER. THE FIRST OFFICER REPTD THAT WHILE THE CAPT WAS TAXIING THE ACFT HE WAS BUSY COMPLETING THE AFTER LNDG CHECKLIST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 12/1/1987
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1253
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LOS ANGELES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90045
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LOS ANGELES INTL
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 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) 15
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 87
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5098
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 1 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38391
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4571M
NTSB Number LAX88IA064
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 BOEING
Aircraft Model 737-300
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-300
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 110000
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 146
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 --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DELTA AIRLINES, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City ATLANTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30320
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DELTA AIRLINES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Operator City ATLANTA
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30320
Operator Code DL
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 ABQ
Departure City ALBUQUERQUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1123
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
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 --