# NTSB LAX86MA151: Boeing 727-231, N64315, Cincinnati, OH, March 22, 1986 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Major investigation · Final report - Date: March 22, 1986, 10:48 local (15:48 UTC) - Place: Cincinnati, OH - Location: 39.1035° N, 84.5153° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Cincinnati, OH, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1035&lon=-84.5153&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 152 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 25277 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX86MA151 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/25277/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX86MA151 ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Near collision between aircraft, climb - to cruise - instructions,written/verbal - not followed, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - radio communications - delayed, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - identification of aircraft on radar - not maintained, atc personnel(artcc) (cause) - artcc service - inadequate, atc personnel(artcc) (cause) - ifr separation standards - not maintained (cause) - Near collision between aircraft, cruise - normal - instructions,written/verbal - not followed, pilot in command (cause) - radio communications - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - supervision - inadequate, check pilot (cause) - identification of aircraft on radar - not maintained, atc personnel(artcc) (cause) - artcc service - inadequate, atc personnel(artcc) (cause) - ifr separation standards - not maintained (cause) ## Analysis (aircraft 2) INDIANAPOLIS CTR (CTLR-A) CLRD SLUFF 11 (S-11), A FLT OF 4 ANG A-7'S, TO CLB TO FL210. LATER, CTLR-A TOLD S-11 TO CHG FREQ (TO YORK LOW SECTOR, CTLR-B). S-11 CHGD FREQ, BUT NEITHER S-11 NOR CTLR-B ESTABLISHED RDO CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER UNTIL S-11 HAD CONTD INTO THE RICHMOND SECTOR (CTLR C'S AREA). ANOTHER FLT, SLUFF 31 (S-31), CANCELED IFR CLNC WITH CTLR-C; HOWEVER, CTLR-C (A DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR) BCM CONFUSED WITH THE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS & INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A CANCELLATION NOTE ON THE COMPUTER STRIP FOR S-11; HIS INSTRUCTOR DID NOT NOTE THE ERROR. THE STRIP WAS HANDED TO THE D-SIDE CTLR, WHO QUESTIONED THE NOTATION, BUT ENTERED A CANCELLATION MESSAGE IN THE COMPUTER, THUS REPLACING THE FULL DATA BLK FOR S-11 WITH A LIMITED DATA BLK. SVRL MIN LATER, S-11 CONVERGED WITH A BOEING 727 (TWA FLT 489) THAT HAD BEEN CLRD TO CLB TO FL230. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FLTS PASSED W/I AN ESTIMATED 500' VERTICALLY & 200' LATERALLY OF EACH OTHER. THE FLT LEADER OF SLUFF 11 WAS ON A CHECK FLT & WAS BEING EVALUATED BY A STAN/EVAL INSTRUCTOR PLT (SLUFF 12). ## Analysis (aircraft 1) INDIANAPOLIS CTR (CTLR-A) CLRD SLUFF 11 (S-11), A FLT OF 4 ANG A-7'S, TO CLB TO FL210. LATER, CTLR-A TOLD S-11 TO CHG FREQ (TO YORK LOW SECTOR, CTLR-B). S-11 CHGD FREQ, BUT NEITHER S-11 NOR CTLR-B ESTABLISHED RDO CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER UNTIL S-11 HAD CONTD INTO THE RICHMOND SECTOR (CTLR C'S AREA). ANOTHER FLT, SLUFF 31 (S-31), CANCELED IFR CLNC WITH CTLR-C; HOWEVER, CTLR-C (A DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR) BCM CONFUSED WITH THE SIMILAR CALL SIGNS & INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A CANCELLATION NOTE ON THE COMPUTOR STRIP FOR S-11; HIS INSTRUCTOR DID NOT NOTE THE ERROR. THE STRIP WAS HANDED TO THE D-SIDE CTLR, WHO QUESTIONED THE NOTATION, BUT ENTERED A CANCELLATION MESSAGE IN THE COMPUTER, THUS REPLACING THE FULL DATA BLK FOR S-11 WITH A LIMITED DATA BLK. SVRL MIN LATER, S-11 CONVERGED WITH A BOEING 727 (TWA FLT 489) THAT HAD BEEN CLRD TO CLB TO FL230. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FLTS PASSED W/I AN ESTIMATED 500' VERTICALLY & 200' LATERALLY OF EACH OTHER. THE FLT LEADER OF SLUFF 11 WAS ON A CHECK FLT & WAS BEING EVALUATED BY A STAN/EVAL INSTRUCTOR PLT (SLUFF 12). ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: [N64315](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N64315-1999-03-26), registration cancelled 1999-03-26, S/N 20048 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 727-231 - Registry model: [Boeing 727-231](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-727-231) (registry code 1384079) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20048 - Engines: P&W JT8D turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: Trans World Airlines, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: CMH, COLUMBUS, OH - Destination: STL, ST. LOUIS, MO - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: CIN, Lufken ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: AFNG (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: LTV A-7 (4 ACFT) (A-7 (4 ACF) - Category: Airplane - Engines: unknown UNK/NR turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 91 - Registered owner: Ohio Air National Guard - Departed: COLUMBUS, OH - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: CIN, Lufken ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N64315; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; seat: left - Pilot, aircraft 2; military, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown, unknown; seat: front; flight hours: 2,000 total, 800 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - 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.