# NTSB CHI85FA249: Boeing 727, N1965, South Haven, MI, June 23, 1985 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report - Date: June 23, 1985, 17:08 local (21:08 UTC) - Place: South Haven, MI - Coordinates: 42.400432, -86.269058 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4004&lon=-86.2691&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious, 2 minor, 71 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 12845 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI85FA249 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/12845/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI85FA249 ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Near collision between aircraft, descent - normal - operation with known deficiencies in equipment - performed, pilot of other aircraft (contributing factor) - identification of aircraft on radar - not attained, atc personnel(artcc) (contributing factor) - improper use of procedure, atc personnel(artcc) (contributing factor) - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor) - seat belt sign - selected - visual lookout - inadequate, copilot/second pilot (cause) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - remedial action - inadequate, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - Abrupt maneuver, descent - normal - maneuver - intentional - Miscellaneous/other, descent - seat belt - not used, passenger (cause) - Near collision between aircraft, cruise - normal - operation with known deficiencies in equipment - performed, pilot in command (contributing factor) - identification of aircraft on radar - not attained, atc personnel(artcc) (contributing factor) - improper use of procedure, atc personnel(artcc) (contributing factor) - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor) - remedial action - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - remedial action - delayed, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - Abrupt maneuver, cruise - normal - maneuver - intentional - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, cruise - horizontal stabilizer surface - overload - design stress limits of aircraft - exceeded ## Analysis (aircraft 2) WHILE EN ROUTE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN (1ST OFFICER AT CTLS), AMERICAN FLT 803 (A BOEING 727, N1965) BGN A DSCNT FM FL 190 TO9000'. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS TURNED ON AT 18,000'. WHILE DSCNDG BTN CLD LAYERS, AT APRX 13,000 TO 12,000', THE CAPT SAWA CESSNA 421C, N1200L, CONVERGING FM OPPOSITE DRCTN. HE TOOK CTL & 'EXECUTED A HARD NOSE OVER' TO AVOID A COLLISION. THECESSNA PLT RPRTD HE WAS CRUISING IN VFR CONDS AT 12,500' WHEN HE SAW THE BOEING DSCNDG OUT OF SCAT CLDS. HE BGN DSCNDG, THEN ENTERED AN ABRUPT CLBG TURN TO AVOID COLLIDING. RPRTDLY, THE ACFT PASSED EACH OTHER W/I 50 TO 100'. AN UNRESTRAINEDPAX & 1 FLT ATNDNT (FA) WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED; 2 FA'S RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. AFTER LNDG, WRINKLES & SKIN DMG WERE FNDON THE CESSNA'S HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS. THE CESSNA PLT WAS USING HIS #2 TRANSPONDER (XP); ARTCC WAS RECEIVING ITS REPLY INTERMITTENTLY; IT WAS FND TRANSMITTING 3 MHZ (MAX LMT) ABV THE DESIRED FREQ. ON 4/12/84, XP'S WERE CHKD & WRITTEN UP AS'#2 OFF FREQ HIGH.' AFTER THE NR COLLISION, THE ARTCC CTLR NOTED THE 'ALL PRIMARY' FEATURE OF HIS RADAR WAS NOT IN USE. ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: [N1965](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1965-1994-07-26), registration cancelled 1994-07-26, S/N 19839 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 727 - Registry model: [Boeing 727-123](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-727-123) (registry code 138404G) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 19839 - Engines: P&W JT8D-7 15500 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: American Airlines, Inc., doing business as Dallas-Ft Worth Airport - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: ORD, CHICAGO, IL - Destination: GRR, GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Flight plan: IFR ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: N1200L (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 421C - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 421C-1257 - Airframe hours: 378 - Engines: CONTINENTAL GTSIO-520-N 375 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Michael R. Meyers - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Unknown, October 1, 1984, 138 hours before - Departed: DET, DETROIT, MI - Destination: DPA, WEST CHICAGO, IL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N1965; age 50; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 14,000 total, 4,500 in this make and model - Pilot, aircraft N1200L; age 38; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,640 total, 408 in this make and model, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19850623075809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850623075809A), Jun 23, 1985: Boeing 727100, South Haven, MI. Evasive manuever on descent to avoid a light twin aircraft. Attendants and passenger injured. Twin not on ATC scope 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.