# NTSB DCA82AA028: Boeing 727-235, N4737, New Orleans, LA, July 9, 1982

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Final report
- Date: July 9, 1982, 16:09 local (21:09 UTC)
- Place: New Orleans, LA
- Location: 29.9546° N, 90.0751° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of New Orleans, LA, within about 7 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9546&lon=-90.0751&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 153 fatal, 9 serious; on the ground: 8 fatal, 9 serious
- Status: Completed, report July 9, 1983
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 69204
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA82AA028
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/69204/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA82AA028

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight collision with object, takeoff - initial climb
  - meteorological services - inadequate (contributing factor)
  - weather condition (cause)
  - weather condition - rain (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - downdraft (cause)
  - weather condition - windshear (cause)
  - weather condition - unfavorable wind (cause)

## Analysis

The Safety Board's full report on this investigation is provided as Aviation Accident Report number AAR-83-02. To obtain a copy of this report, or to view the executive summary online, please see the Web site at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/publictn.htm

THE ACFT, PAN AM FLT 759, WAS ON A SCHEDULED FLT FROM MIAMI, FL TO LAS VEGAS, NV, WITH AN EN ROUTE STOP AT NEW ORLEANS, LA. WITH AN ACFT GROSS WT OF APRX 170,000 LBS, THE CAPT WAS REQUIRED TO USE RWY 10 FOR TKOF. VIP LVL 3 WX ECHOS WERE LOCATED EAST OF THE RWY, BUT NO LIGHTNING OR THUNDER WAS EVIDENT. THERE WERE SHOWERS OVR THE EAST END OF THE RWY & THE WNDS WERE GSTY, VARIABLE & SWIRLING. AFTR TAKOF, THE ACFT CLIMBED TO APRX 95 TO 150 AGL, THEN BGN TO DESCEND. THE ACFT STRUCK TREES APRX 2376 FT BYD THE DEP END OF THE RWY, ABOUT 50 FT AGL, THEN CONTD ANOTHER 2234 FT, HITTING TREES & HOUSES. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT, EXPLOSION & FIRE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT HAD ENCTRD A DECREASING HDWND SHEAR CAUSED BY DIVERGING FLOW FROM A MICROBURST WHICH OCCURRED ON THE ARPT. THE WND SHEAR WAS NOT DETECTED BY THE LOW LVL WND SHEAR ALERT SYS TIL AFTER FLT 759 BGN ITS TKOF.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4737](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4737-1983-04-20), registration cancelled 1983-04-20, S/N 19457 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 727-235
- Registry model: [Boeing 727-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-727-235) (registry code 138408B) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 19457
- Airframe hours: 39253
- Engines: P & W JT8D-7B 14000 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Pan American World A/W
- Registered owner: Pan American World A/W
- Departed: NEW ORLEANS, LA
- Destination: LAS VEGAS, NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: runway 10, 9,227 × 150 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 45; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 11,727 total, 10,595 in this make and model, 212 in the last 90 days, 47 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 70° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,100 ft broken
- Temperature: 180 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg

## 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 19820709069969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19820709069969A), Jul 9, 1982: Boeing 727235, New Orleans, LA, Destroyed, 150 fatal. Aircraft departed into thunderstorm area and was observed sinking into ground in nose-high attitude.

## Other investigations on N4737 (1)

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.

- [NTSB MIA78IA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA78IA036), Jan 27, 1978: Boeing 727 (N4737), Orlando, FL, incident, no damage

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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