Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mount Vernon, Illinois 62864
Friday, May 4, 1984 10:24 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

KANSAS CITY ARTCC (ZKC) HAD CLEARED OZARK FLT 709 (A DC-9, N923L) TO CRUISE AT FL270. WHILE PROCEEDING ESE NEAR THE EDGEOF THE ZKC AREA, THE DC-9 CONVERGED ON ZORRO 11 (A FLT OF 3 F-4'S). THE F-4'S HAD BEEN CLEARED BY INDIANAPLOLIS ARTCC (ZID) TO PROCEED WESTBOUND AT FL260 TO RENDESVOUS WITH A KC-135 TANKER (SHAKE 81) TO REFUEL ON AERIAL REFUELING ROUTE AR110W. THE BEGINNING OF AR110W WAS IN THE ZID AREA; FROM THERE IT CONTINUED WESTBOUND INTO THE ZKC AREA. THE TANKER WASORBITING UNDER CONTROL OF ZKC & WAS CLEARED TO MAINTAIN BLOCK ALT FL260 TO FL290. ZID CLEARED THE F-4'S TO THE TANKER FREQ WITHOUT HANDING THEM OFF TO ZKC & WITHOUT OBTAINING APPROVAL FROM EITHER ZKC OR THE TANKER. AFTER ESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT, THE TANKER CREW INCORRECTLY CLEARED THE F-4'S TO CLIMB TO FL270. WHEN THE ZKC CONTROLLER REALIZED THE F-4'S & DC-9 WERE CONVERGING, HE TOLD THE DC-9 CREW TO IMMEDIATELY TURN LEFT. THE DC-9 CREW SAW THE F-4'S & TOOK EVASIVEACTION. ZID HAD NOT PROPERLY COORDINATED THE F-4S' POSITION & NONE OF THE PLTS WERE INFORMED OF CONFLICTING TRAFFIC.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 5/4/1984
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1024
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MOUNT VERNON
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62864
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
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 Full
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 84
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5069
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26557
Date of most recent change to record May 3 2001 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N923L
NTSB Number ATL84IA160
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 DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-9-32
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9-32
Aircraft Serial Number 47109
Certified Max Gross Weight 108000
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 110
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jul 23 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2098
Airframe Hours 43480
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OZARK AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 10007
Aircraft Owner City ST LOUIS
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63145
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code OZAA
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 STL
Departure City ST. LOUIS
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1005
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SDF
Destination City LOUISVILLE
Destination State KY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --