# NTSB DCA86IA017: Boeing 727-223, N871AA, Harlingen, TX, February 8, 1986

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: February 8, 1986, 00:20 local (06:20 UTC)
- Place: Harlingen, TX
- Coordinates: 30.029348, -101.970367 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0293&lon=-101.9704&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 134 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 27, 1988
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 15860
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA86IA017
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15860/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA86IA017

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, approach
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - below approach/landing minimums (contributing factor)
  - planned approach - continued, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
  - ifr procedure - not followed, pilot in command (cause)
  - crew/group coordination - inadequate (cause)
  - decision height - improper use of (cause)
  - go-around - delayed (cause)

## Analysis

WHILE EN ROUTE, THE COMPANY DISPATCHER NOTIFIED AMERICAN FLT 844 (VIA ACARS) THAT HARLINGEN (HRL) HAD UNFORECAST FOG & WAS 300' OBSCD WITH 1/2 MI VIS. AT 2335, AS THE FLT BGN A DSCNT FM FL 310, THE SAME CEILING & VIS WERE RPRTD. HOWEVER, AS THE FLT WAS CLRD FOR AN ILS RWY 17R APCH, HOUSTON ARTCC ADZD THE WX WAS (IN PART) 200' OBSCD, 3/8 MI VIS WITH FOG. WXMINS FOR THE APCH WERE 200' CEILING & 1/2 MI VIS. TWO APCHS WERE MADE USING THE AUTOPLT, BUT BOTH WERE TERMINATED WITH MISSED APCHS DUE TO WX. THE CREW STARTED TO DIVERT, BUT RECD A WX UPDATE (VIA ACARS) THAT THE WX WAS IMPROVING, SO A 3RDILS WAS ATMTD. AFTER ACTIVATING RWY LGTS, THE CAPT HAND FLEW THE APCH. AS HE TRANSITIONED TO A VISUAL APCH, THE DSCNT RATE INCREASED & THE ACFT TOUCHED DWN SHORT OF THE RWY, DMGG THE LNDG GEAR & APCH LGTS. THE CREW MADE A GO-ARND, THEN DIVERTED WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. A COMPANY WX OBSERVER AT HRL NOTED THE 0010 WX WAS 200' OBSCD & 1/2 MI VIS & THE 0018WX WAS 100' OBSCD & 1/4 MI VIS, BUT THE CREW DID NOT CONTACT THE OBSERVER, AS REQD, BFR MAKING THE APCHS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N871AA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N871AA-2001-11-23), registration cancelled 2001-11-23, S/N 21383, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 727-223
- Registry model: [Boeing 727-223](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-727-223) (registry code 1384074) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-9-series) (registry code 52048, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 21383
- Airframe hours: 23132
- Engines: P&W JT8D-9 14500 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: American Airlines, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: DFW, DALLAS FT WORTH, TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: HRL, Rio Grande Valley, runway 17R, 8,300 × 150 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 15,440 total, 7,700 in this make and model, 225 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Lowest ceiling: 100 ft
- Observed at: HRL, 1 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 19860208012379I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860208012379I), Feb 8, 1986: Boeing 727223, Harlingen, TX, Substantial damage. Struck approach lighting system, touched down short of runway and then made a missed approach. Below minimums.

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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