# NTSB ATL87IA020: Boeing 727-227, N471BN, Livingston, TN, November 12, 1986

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: November 12, 1986, 09:33 local (15:33 UTC)
- Place: Livingston, TN
- Location: 36.3866° N, 85.3261° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Livingston, TN, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.3866&lon=-85.3261&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 167 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 7324
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL87IA020
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/7324/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL87IA020

## Sequence of events

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

- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, cruise
  - comm/nav equipment,transmitter - undetermined (cause)
- Near collision between aircraft, cruise
  - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- Near collision between aircraft, cruise
  - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor)

## Analysis (aircraft 2)

THE BRANIFF AND UNITED BOEING 727 JETLINERS WERE APPROACHING 'SWAPP' INTERSECTION ON CONVERGING JETWAYS AT THEIR PROPER ASSIGNED ALT OF 35,000'. THE CONTROLLER WAS IN THE PROCESS OF ISSUING RADAR VECTORS TO ASSURE PROPER LATERAL SEPARATION WHEN THE CONTROL FREQ BECAME BLOCKED. ATTEMPTS TO OVERRIDE THE BLOCKED FREQ WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE TWO ACFT PASSED WITH APPROX 200' VERT AND ZERO HORZ SEPARATION. THE TWO FLT CREWS DID NOT SEE THE OTHER ACFT UNTIL THE NEAR COLLISION OCCURRED. THE INITIAL TRANSMISSION BY THE BRANIFF CAPTAIN FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT CLEARED THE FREQ AND ALL COMMS RETURNED TO NORMAL. BOTH ACFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE FLT DATA RECORDER IN THE BRANIFF 727 INDICATED A SOLID 5 MINUTE EVENT MARKER OF MIC 'ON' THAT CORRELATED TO THE TIME FO THE INCIDENT. THE BRANIFF CREW WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FREQUENCY PROBLEM. THERE WERE NO DISCREPANCIES REVEALED DURING BENCH TESTS PERFORMED ON THE EQUIPMENT INSTALLED IN THE BRANIFF ACFT.

## Analysis (aircraft 1)

THE BRANIFF AND UNITED BOEING 727 JETLINERS WERE APPROACHING 'SWAPP' INTERSECTION ON CONVERGING JETWAYS AT THEIR PROPER ASSIGNED ALT OF 35,000'. THE CONTROLLER WAS IN THE PROCESS OF ISSUING RADAR VECTORS TO ASSURE PROPER LATERAL SEPARATION WHEN THE CONTROL FREQ BECAME BLOCKED. ATTEMPTS TO OVERRIDE THE BLOCKED FREQ WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE TWO ACFT PASSED WITH APPROX 200' VERT AND ZERO HORZ SEPARATION. THE TWO FLT CREWS DID NOT SEE THE OTHER ACFT UNTIL THE NEAR COLLISION OCCURRED. THE INITIAL TRANSMISSION BY THE BRANIFF CAPTAIN FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT CLEARED THE FREQ AND ALL COMMS RETURNED TO NORMAL. BOTH ACFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE FLT DATA RECORDER IN THE BRANIFF 727 INDICATED A SOLID 5 MINUTE EVENT MARKER OF MIC 'ON' THAT CORRELATED TO THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE BRANIFF CREW WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FREQUENCY PROBLEM. THERE WERE NO DISCREPANCIES REVEALED DURING BENCH TESTS PERFORMED ON THE EQUIPMENT INSTALLED IN THE BRANIFF ACFT.

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: N471BN (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 727-227
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 21669
- Airframe hours: 16619
- Engines: P&W JT8-9A 14500 lbs thrust turbo jet
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Braniff Airline, Inc.
- Registered owner: James W. Toren-Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: LGA, NEW YORK, NY
- Destination: DFW, DALLAS, TX
- Flight plan: IFR

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: [N7014U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7014U-1996-04-18), registration cancelled 1996-04-18, S/N 18306 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 727-22
- Registry model: [Boeing 727-22](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-727-22) (registry code 1384002) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18306
- Airframe hours: 54668
- Engines: P&W JT8D-7 14500 lbs thrust turbo jet
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: United Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: FMY, FORT MYERS, FL
- Destination: ORD, CHICAGO, IL
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot, aircraft N471BN; age 56; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 15,500 total, 9,200 in this make and model, 3 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot, aircraft N7014U; age 50; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 12,942 total, 9,982 in this make and model, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F

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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