# NTSB DCA87MA026: Boeing 707-351C, N144SP, Kansas City, MO, April 14, 1987

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Major investigation · Final report
- Date: April 13, 1987, 21:55 local (Apr 14, 1987, 01:55 UTC)
- Place: Kansas City, MO
- Coordinates: 39.089565, -94.579025 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0896&lon=-94.5790&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed, report February 6, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 15879
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA87MA026
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15879/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA87MA026

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
  - light condition - dark night
  - weather condition - low ceiling
  - weather condition - fog
  - ground proximity warning system - failure,total (contributing factor)
  - crew/group coordination - inadequate (contributing factor)
  - ifr procedure - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - decision height - disregarded, pilot in command (cause)
  - safety advisory - issued, atc personnel(lcl/gnd/clnc)
  - unsafe/hazardous condition warning - disregarded, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

DRG ARR, BUFFALO AIRWAYS FLT 721 WAS VECTORED FOR AN ILS RWY 1 APCH. EXCEPT FOR DEVIATIONS TO AVOID TSTMS, DSCNT TO THE TERMINAL AREA WAS ROUTINE. AT 2151:01, THE FLT WAS ADZD IT WAS 5 MI FM THE OUTER MARKER (OM), WAS GIVEN A FINAL VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE ILS LOCALIZER (LOC) AT 2400' & WAS CLRD FOR THE APCH. AT 2153:07, THE FLT RPRTD OVR THE OM 'INBOUND.' AT THAT TIME, THE LCL CTLR (LC) WARNED THE FLT TO 'CHECK ALT IMMEDIATELY,' & THAT IT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE AT 2400'. SHORTLYTHEREAFTER, AN MSAW (MIN SAFE ALT WARNING) ALERT WAS ACTIVATED. THE LC WARNED FLT 721 THAT HE HAD RCVD AN MSAW ALERT & ADZD IT TO CLB TO 2400'. FLT 721 DID NOT RESPOND BY RADIO TO EITHER SAFETY ADZY. THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 3 MI SHORT OF RWY 1. THE OM ALT WAS 2400'; DECISION HGT (DH) FOR APCH WAS 1211'. FDR & RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ACFT PASSED THE OM AT 1700'. THE CVR REVEALED THE FO GAVE ALT INFO IN 100' INCREMENTS DWN TO THE DH, BUT DID NOT ADZ THE CAPT OF THE ALT ERRORAT THE OM OR RPRT THE RWY NOT IN SIGHT AT THE DH. THE GND PROXIMITY WARNING SYS (GPWS) DID NOT WARN THE CREW.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N144SP (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 707-351C
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 19209
- Engines: P&W JT-3D-3B 18000 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: Buffalo Airways,Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: 1CT, WICHITA, KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: MCI, Kansas City Intl, runway 1, 10,801 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 52; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 10,000 total, 3,500 in this make and model, 2,700 as pilot in command, 167 in the last 90 days, 59 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 40° at 8 knots
- Lowest ceiling: 100 ft overcast
- Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: MC1, 3 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).

- [Accident 19870413083419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870413083419A), Apr 13, 1987: Boeing 707351C, Kansas City, MO, Destroyed, 4 fatal. Went below decision height on ILS. Ignored ATC warnings and GPWS failed to operate. Inadequate crew coordination.

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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