- Date
- March 18, 1983, 19:45 local (Mar 19, 1983, 03:45 UTC)
- Place
- Los Angeles, CA
- Injuries
- 588 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- 9VSQQBoeing 747N323EALockheed L-1011
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 23584
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
N323EA was stopped 44 ft prior to the final turn off point for it's gate allowing the tail to extend 21 ft beyond the limit line. 9VSQQ was taxiing at 'pilots discretion' along the taxiway centerline when an attempt was made to pass behind N323EA at a 90 deg rt angle. The rt wing of 9VSQQ collided with the thrust reverser and tail pipe of N323EA. The crew of 9VSQQ stated they saw N323EA, but felt sufficient clearance exsisted btwn the two acft. N323EA'S thrust reverser was destroyed and 9VSQQ'S rt wing tip was ripped from leading to trailing edge. N323EA had strobe lights operating while stopped on the ramp. The captain of 9VSQQ warned the first officer just prior to the collision, 'don't look at the strobes they'll blind you.'
N323EA was stopped 44 ft prior to the final turn off point for it's gate allowing the tail to extend 21 ft beyond the limit line. 9VSQQ was taxiing at 'pilots discretion' along the taxiway centerline when an attempt was made to pass behind N323EA at a 90 deg rt angle. The rt wing of 9VSQQ collided with the thrust reverser and tail pipe of N323EA. The crew of 9VSQQ stated they saw N323EA, but felt sufficient clearance existed btwn the two acft. N323EA'S thrust reverser was destroyed and 9VSQQ'S rt wing tip was ripped from leading to trailing edge. N323EA had strobe lights operating while stopped on the ramp. The captain of 9VSQQ warned the first officer just prior to the collision, 'don't look at the strobes they'll blind you.'
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- 9VSQQ
- Reported as
- Boeing 747
- Category
- Airplane
- Engine
- P&W JT9D-7A, 46,250 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 129
- Operator
- Singapore Airlines, Ltd.
- Registered owner
- Singapore Airlines, Ltd.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- HNL · Honolulu, HI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- LAX · Los Angeles Intl
- Registration
- N323EA
- Reported as
- Lockheed L-1011
- Category
- Airplane
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce RB-211, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- Eastern Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- LAX · Los Angeles Intl
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft 1
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Foreign
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13,000 total · 1,500 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N323EA
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAX