Miami International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Miami, Florida 33159
Sunday, December 27, 1987 12:05 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN THE TAIL TO THE RIGHT AS VIEWED BY THE SIGNAL MAN DURING POWER BACK. AS POWER BACK STARTED THE TAIL WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT AS VIEWED BY THE SIGNAL MAN. THE SIGNAL MAN CORRECTED THIS TURN BUT THE ACFT WAS NOW MAKING A MUCH LARGER ARC AND WAS APPROACHING THE AIRCRAFT PARKING AREA AT THE OPPOSITE CONCOURSE. THE SIGNAL MAN URGENTLY SIGNALED FOR THE PLT TO COME FORWARD BUT THE ACFT ROLLED BACK ANOTHER 40 TO 50 FEET STRIKING A PARKED CARGO LOADER. WITNESSES STATED THE ACFT WAS BEING POWER BACKED AT A MUCH GREATER SPEED THAN NORMAL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 12/27/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1205
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MIAMI
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33159
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 MIAMI INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MIA
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MIA
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
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 131
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5066
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 27 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35671
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 N54344
NTSB Number MIA88IA072
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 727-231
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-231
Aircraft Serial Number 21632
Certified Max Gross Weight 172400
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 156
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Dec 16 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 74
Airframe Hours 21217
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TRANS WORLD AIRLINES INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 301 KANSAS CITY INT'L. ARPT
Aircraft Owner City KANSAS CITY
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 64195
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TRANS WORLD AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 301 KANSAS CITY INT'L. AIRPORT
Operator City KANSAS CITY
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 64195
Operator Code TWAA
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1205
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --