# NTSB DCA84IA001: Boeing VC-137B-BN, Akron, OH, September 30, 1984

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: September 30, 1984, 17:58 local (21:58 UTC)
- Place: Akron, OH
- Coordinates: 41.009933, -81.439155 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0099&lon=-81.4392&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 47 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 15815
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA84IA001
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15815/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA84IA001

## Sequence of events

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

- Miscellaneous/other, climb - to cruise
  - ifr separation standards - not maintained, atc personnel(artcc) (cause)
- Miscellaneous/other, cruise - normal
  - ifr separation standards - not maintained, atc personnel(artcc) (cause)

## Analysis (aircraft 2)

A BOEING VC-137B-BN, USAF #58-6971, OPERATING AS AIR FORCE 2 (AF-2), DEPARTED CLEVELAND, OH, AT ABOUT 1745 EDT ON AN IFR CLEARANCE. AFTER DEPARTING CLEVELAND, AF-2 WAS ASSIGNED AN ALT OF 8000 FT MSL BY CLEVELAND DEPARTURE CONTROL & WAS TRANSFERED TO CLEVELAND ARTCC. ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH CLEVELAND ARTCC, AF-2 WAS CLEARED TO CLIMB TO FLT LEVEL 230. A CESSNA 310J, N3057L, WAS CRUISING IN THE SAME VICINITY ON AN IFR CLEARANCE AT 13,000 FT & WAS ALSO UNDER CONTROL OF CLEVELAND ARTCC. AS AF-2 WAS CLIMBING THRU 12,200 ARTCC'S ATC COMPUTER CONFLICT ALERT FUNCTION WAS ACTIVATED FOR BOTH ACFT, ALERTING THE CONTROLLER OF A PENDING LOSS OF REQUIRED SEPARATION. THE CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED AF-2 TO MAINTAIN 12,000 FT. AF-2 ACKNOWLEDGED. HOWEVER, AF-2 REACHED APRX 13,000 FT BEFORE STARTING DESCENT & SEPN CONTDDECREASING. RDAR DATA SHOWED A MIN SLANT RANGE DIST OF 1/4 MI WITH600 FT VRT SEPN. THIS CONSTITUTED AND ATC OPERATIONAL ERROR INVOLVING LESS THAN STANDARD SEPN. THE ACFT WERE IN IMC & NONE OF THE PLTS SAW THE CONFLICTING TRAFFIC

## Analysis (aircraft 1)

A BOEING VC-137B-BW, USAF #58-6971, OPERATING AS AIR FORCE 2 (AF-2), DEPARTED CLEVELAND, OH, AT ABOUT 1745 EDT ON AN IFR CLEARANCE. AFTER DEPARTING CLEVELAND, AF-2 WAS ASSIGNED AN ALT OF 8000 FT MSL BY CLEVELAND DEPARTURE CONTROL & WAS TRANSFERED TO CLEVELAND ARTCC. ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH CLEVELAND ARTCC, AF-2 WAS CLEARED TO CLIMB TO FLT LEVEL 230. A CESSNA 310J, N3057L, WAS CRUISING IN THE SAME VICINITY ON AN IFR CLEARANCE AT 13,000 FT & WAS ALSO UNDER CONTROL OF CLEVELAND ARTCC. AS AF-2 WAS CLIMBING THRU 12,200, ARTCC'S ATC COMPUTER CONFLICT ALERT FUNCTION WAS ACTIVATED FOR BOTH ACFT, ALERTING THE CONTROLLER OF A PENDING LOSS OF REQUIRED SEPARATION. THE CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED AF-2 TO MAINTAIN 12,000 FT. AF-2 ACKNOWLEDGED. HOWEVER, AF-2 REACHED APRX 13,000 FT BEFORE STARTING DESCENT & SEPN CONTDDECREASING. RADAR DATA SHOWED A MIN SLANT RANGE DIST OF 1/4 MI WITH 600 FT VERT SEPN. THIS CONSTITUTED AN ATC OPERATIONAL ERROR INVOLVING LESS THAN STANDARD SEPN. THE ACFT WERE IN IMC & NONE OF THE PLTS SAW THE CONFLICTING TRAFFIC

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: USAF (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING VC-137B-BN
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17926
- Engines: P&W TF-33 turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 91
- Registered owner: 89th Military Airlift Wing
- Departed: CLE, CLEVELAND, OH
- Destination: ADW, CAMP SPRINGS, MD
- Flight plan: IFR

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: [N3057L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3057L-2012-02-21), registration cancelled 2012-02-21, S/N 310J0057, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 310J
- Registry model: [Cessna 310J](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310j) (registry code 2074226) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental I0-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (registry code 17027, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 310J0075
- Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-470-U 260 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: John R. Kowalczyk
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: GRB, GREEN BAY, WI
- Destination: ANP, ANNAPOLIS, MD
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot, aircraft 1; age 35; military; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 4,592 total
- Pilot, aircraft N3057L; age 54; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 3,002 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Dusk
- Lowest ceiling: 3,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: CAK, 6 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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