# NTSB ATL83IA085: Boeing 737-222, N752N, Washington, DC, December 28, 1982

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: December 28, 1982, 10:28 local (15:28 UTC)
- Place: Washington, DC
- Location: 38.8951° N, 77.0364° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Washington, DC, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8951&lon=-77.0364&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 73 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 28, 1983
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 72968
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL83IA085
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/72968/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL83IA085

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Miscellaneous/other, circling (ifr)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - obscuration (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)
  - ifr procedure - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - proper alignment - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES TO DESCEND BELOW ITS NORMAL DESCENT PATH AND TO HORIZONTIALLY STRAY OFF COURSE TO THEPOINT THAT OFFICE BLDG OCCUPANTS AND PERSONS ON THE GROUND WERE CONCERNED BY THE APPEARANCE AND NOISE OF THE ACFT DURINGA VOR/DME APPROACH TO WASHINGTON NAT'L ARPT. THE FDR AND RADAR PLOTS CONFIRM THE POSITION OF THE ACFT. ONE OF THE BUILDINGS 2.5 MILES FROM THE ARPT IS ABOUT 396 FT MSL. THE VOR/DME APPROACH HAS AN ALT RESTRICTION OF 900 FT MSL AT 3 NMAND A MINIMUM DESCENT ALT OF 720 FT AT 2.5 NM. THE PLT WAS INTERVIEWED AND HE STATED THAT HE THOUGHT EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL AND THAT HE WAS AT THE ALT RESTRICTION AT THE 3 MILE DME. RADAR SHOWS HIS ALT AS ABOUT 517 FT AT 3 MILE DME AND ABOUT 400 FT AT 2.5 MILE DME. RADAR AND WITNESSES AGREE ON A TURN AND CLIMB AT THIS POINT TOWARD THE RIVER AND THE NORMAL APPROACH PATH.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N752N (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 737-222
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 19073
- Airframe hours: 32625
- Engines: P & W JT-8D-9 14500 lbs thrust turbo jet
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Piedmont Airport
- Registered owner: Piedmont Airport
- Departed: ROA, ROANOKE, VA
- Destination: DCA, WASHINGTON, DC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: Washington National, runway 18, 6,869 × 150 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 8,123 total, 2,013 in this make and model, 153 in the last 90 days, 58 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 700 ft
- Temperature: 135 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: DCA, 3 nm away

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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