# NTSB LAX87IA027: Boeing 727-222, N7255U, Los Angeles, CA, October 29, 1986

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: October 29, 1986, 11:09 local (19:09 UTC)
- Place: Los Angeles, CA
- Location: 34.0522° N, 118.2437° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Los Angeles, CA, within about 12 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0522&lon=-118.2437&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 73 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 19, 1988
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 25432
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX87IA027
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/25432/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX87IA027

## Sequence of events

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

- Near collision between aircraft, approach - iaf to faf/outer marker (ifr)
  - flight/nav instruments,altimeter - leak (cause)
  - altitude - excessive, pilot of other aircraft (cause)
- Near collision between aircraft, hover
  - flight/nav instruments,altimeter - leak (cause)
  - altitude - excessive, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis (aircraft 2)

DRG ARR, UNITED FLT 282 (BOEING 727, N7255U) WAS VECTORED BY LOS ANGELES (LAX) TRACON FOR AN ILS RWY 25L APCH. WHILE IN A DSCNDG TURN AT 2100' MSL TO INTERCEPT THE ILS LOC AT 2000', THE CAPT SAW A HELICOPTER (HEL) AHEAD & PULLED UP. HE ESTDHIS ACFT PASSED W/I 200' TO 300' OF THE HEL. THE HEL WAS A DEA ACFT (HUGHES 369D, N8620F) ON A SURVEILLANCE FLT. THE DEAPLT SAID HE WAS HOVERING BLO THE LAX TERMINAL CTL AREA (TCA) WHEN HE SAW THE BOEING MAKE A RGT TURN TWD THE LAX ARPT. HE SAID THE BOEING WAS IN HIS VIEW FOR THE ENTIRE TIME & IT WAS NOT A HAZARD TO HIM, BUT HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ITS LOW ALT. LATER, HE ADZD LAX TWR. THE DEA PLT STATED HE WAS OPERG BTN 1400' & 1900' & THAT THE HEL WAS AT 1300' WHEN THE BOEING CONVERGED. HE ESTD THE BOEING CROSSED 300' TO 400' ABV THE HEL. RADAR DATA INDCD THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED TO A SLANT RANGE OF 1500'. MIN VERT SEPN WAS 200'. RADAR DATA ALSO INDCD THAT FLT 282 REMAINED ABV THE TCA FLOOR (2000') & THAT THE HEL WAS BLO THE TCA. A LEAK WAS FND IN THE HEL'S PITOT STATIC SYS, WHICH CAUSED AN UNDETERMINED ERROR.

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: [N7255U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7255U-2002-03-07), registration cancelled 2002-03-07, S/N 21402, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 727-222
- Registry model: [Boeing 727-222](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-727-222) (registry code 1384073) (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: 21402
- Engines: P&W JT8D 14500 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: United Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: MRV, MONTEREY, CA
- Destination: LAX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: runway 25L, 11,096 × 200 ft, concrete

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: N8620F (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369D
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 70160D
- Airframe hours: 3000
- Engines: ALLISON 250-C20B 375 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Public aircraft, Part 91
- Registered owner: Dept Of Justice, Dea
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, May 30, 1986, 90 hours before
- Departed: TOA, TORRENCE, CA

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot, aircraft N7255U; age 49; flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 10,000 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 7 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot, aircraft N8620F; age 43; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 6,000 total, 1,100 in this make and model, 119 in the last 90 days, 80 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: LAX, 11 nm away

## Other investigations on N7255U (1)

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.

- [NTSB CHI81IA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI81IA088), Jun 5, 1981: Boeing 727 (N7255U), Columbus, OH, no damage

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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