# NTSB DCA89IA071: Boeing 737-200A, N283AU, Kansas City, MO, September 9, 1989

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Class 1 · Incident · Final report
- Date: September 8, 1989, 21:33 local (Sep 9, 1989, 02:33 UTC)
- Place: Kansas City, MO
- Location: 39.0997° N, 94.5786° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Kansas City, MO, within about 10 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0997&lon=-94.5786&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 65 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 7, 1992
- Report: Board-adopted at Board Meeting
- Investigation class: Class 1
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 15913
- NTSB case page: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA89IA071.aspx
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15913/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA89IA071

## Probable cause

THE FLIGHTCREW'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY PREPARE FOR AND EXECUTE A NONPRECISION APPROACH AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT PREMATURE DESCENT BELOW MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE AND DEFICIENT SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE FLIGHTCREW BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL PERSONNEL.

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight collision with object, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
  - light condition - dark night
  - weather condition - low ceiling
  - weather condition - rain
  - ifr procedure - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - minimum descent altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - communications/information/atc - inadequate, atc personnel(dep/apch) (contributing factor)
  - object - wire,transmission

## Analysis

DURING A LOCALIZER BACK COURSE APPROACH TO RWY 27 THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH FOUR ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION CABLES, LOCATED 75 FT AGL, APRX 7,000 FT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE CREW EXECUTED A MISSED APCH & LANDED UNEVENTFULLY IN SALINA, KS. THE SAFETY BOARD FOUND THAT THE CREW DID NOT ADEQUATELY REVIEW APCH CHARTS. FIRST OFFICER MISIDENTIFIED LIGHTS ON GROUND WHICH INFLUENCED CAPT'S SUBSEQUENT MISIDENTIFICATION. ATC FAILED TO PROVIDE ACCURATE WX TO THE CREW, FAILED TO VECTOR THE AIRPLANE TO JOIN THE LOCALIZER OUTSIDE THE FINAL APCH FIX AND COMMITTED OTHER ERRORS IN HANDLING THE FLIGHT. AN FAA INSPECTOR, CONDUCTING AN EN ROUTE INSPECTION OF THE FLIGHT, DID NOT INFORM THE CREW OF THE ERRORS THEY WERE COMMITTING IN THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF THE APCH. CREW DID NOT EXECUTE MISSED APPROACH WHEN THEY ENCOUNTERED FULL-SCALE LOCALIZER DEFLECTION INSIDE THE FINAL APCH FIX. (NTSB/AAR-90/04)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N283AU](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N283AU-2003-09-04), registration cancelled 2003-09-04, S/N 23116, built 1983 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 737-200A
- Registry model: [Boeing 737-2B7](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-2b7) (registry code 138447C) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-15) (registry code 52051, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 283AU
- Airframe hours: 17045
- Engines: P&W JT8D-15 15500 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Usair, doing business as Usair
- Registered owner: Usair
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, June 8, 1989, 10 hours before
- Departed: PIT, PITTSBURGH, PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: MCI, Kansas City Int'L, runway 27, 9,500 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 40; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 14,300 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 110 in the last 90 days, 62 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 250° at 22 knots, gusting 39
- Lowest ceiling: 500 ft
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: MCI, 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 19890908066609I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890908066609I), Sep 8, 1989: Boeing 7372B7, Kansas City, MO, Minor damage. Struck powerlines 50 feet AGL on a back course LOC approach in area of heavy rain. Mistook ground lights for hirl.

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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