# NTSB DCA84IA030: Boeing 727-225, N8840E, Marietta, GA, July 16, 1984 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: July 16, 1984, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC) - Place: Marietta, GA - Coordinates: 33.779064, -84.379478 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7791&lon=-84.3795&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 45 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 15819 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA84IA030 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15819/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA84IA030 ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Near collision between aircraft, cruise - normal - instructions,written/verbal - not followed, pilot of other aircraft (contributing factor) - identification of aircraft on radar - not attained, atc personnel(artcc) (contributing factor) - ifr separation standards - not maintained, atc personnel(artcc) (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, cruise - normal - instructions,written/verbal - not followed, pilot in command (contributing factor) - identification of aircraft on radar - not attained, atc personnel(artcc) (contributing factor) - ifr separation standards - not maintained, atc personnel(artcc) (cause) ## Analysis (aircraft 2) EASTERN AIRLINES FLT 92, A BOEING 727, N8840E, AND AN AIR FORCE-KC-135, REG #60-0330, CALL SIGN FOWL 24, WERE INVOLVED IN A NEAR COLLISION WHILE BOTH ACFT WERE MAINTAINING FL350. THE CAPTAIN OF FLT 92 REPORTED THAT DURING THE OCCURRENCE, THE KC-135 PASSED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIS ACFT AT A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 1/4 MI, CROSSING FROM RIGHT TO LEFT. ALSO, HE REPORTED THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME FOR HIM TO AVOID WAKE TURBULENCE FROM THE KC-135. THE KC-135 FLT CREW WERE UNAWARE OF THE OCCURENCE UNTIL AFTER THEY HAD COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING FLT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER JACKSONVILLE CENTER HAD INSTRUCTED THE KC-135 CREW TO CONTACT ATLANTA CENTER DURING A HAND-OFF. THE KC-135 COPLT THOUGHT HE HAD COMPLIED, BUT NO CALLS WERE RECORDED UNTIL AFTER THE INCIDENT. THE ATLANTA CONTROLLER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE KC-135 IN HIS ASSIGNED AIRSPACE UNTIL AFTER THE CAPTAIN OF FLT 92 REPORTED THE NEAR COLLISION. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT RADAR DATA ON THE KC-135 WAS AVAILABLE & DISPLAYED ON THE CONTROLLER'S SCOPE. ## Analysis (aircraft 1) EASTERN AIRLINES FLT 92, A BOEING 727, N8840E, AND AN AIR FORCE KC-135, REG #60-0330, CALL SIGN FOWL 24, WERE INVOLVED IN A NEAR COLLISION WHILE BOTH ACFT WERE MAINTAINING FL350. THE CAPTAIN OF FLT 92 REPORTED THAT DURING THE OCCURRENCE, THE KC-135 PASSED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIS ACFT AT A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 1/4 MI, CROSSING FROM RIGHT TO LEFT. ALSO, HE REPORTED THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME FOR HIM TO AVOID WAKE TURBULENCE FROM THE KC-135. THE KC-135 FLT CREW WERE UNAWARE OF THE OCCURRENCE UNTIL AFTER THEY HAD COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING FLT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER JACKSONVILLE CENTER HAD INSTRUCTED THE KC-135 CREW TO CONTACT ATLANTA CENTER DURING A HAND-OFF. THE KC-135 COPLT THOUGHT HE HAD COMPLIED, BUT NO CALLS WERE RECORDED UNTIL AFTER THE INCIDENT. THE ATLANTA CONTROLLER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE KC-135 IN HIS ASSIGNED AIRSPACE UNTIL AFTER THE CAPTAIN OF FLT 92 REPORTED THE NEAR COLLISION. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT RADAR DATA ON THE KC-135 WAS AVAILABLE & DISPLAYED ON THE CONTROLLER'S SCOPE. ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: N8840E (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: BOEING 727-225 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20383 - Airframe hours: 40143 - Engines: P&W JT8D-7B turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: Eastern Airlines - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Unknown, February 12, 1984 - Departed: MIA, MIAMI, FL - Destination: ORD, CHICAGO, IL - Flight plan: IFR ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: USAF (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: BOEING KC-135A - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18105 - Airframe hours: 9461 - Engines: P&W J-57-59W turbo jet - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 91 - Operator: Usaf, 19th Aref Wingf - Registered owner: 19th Air Refueling Wing - Departed: WRB, WARNER ROBBINS, GA - Destination: WRB, WARNER ROBINS, GA - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N8840E; age 45; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 11,000 total, 4,550 in this make and model - Pilot, aircraft 2; age 35; commercial, military; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 2,275 total, 1,437 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg 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.