- Date
- May 7, 1989, 17:38 local (May 8, 1989, 00:38 UTC)
- Place
- Los Angeles, CA
- Injuries
- 3 minor, 383 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- ZKNZXBoeing 747
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 26258
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
Inadequate visual look-out by the pilot of the other (small twin engine) aircraft. A factor related to the incident was: a delay of the 747 crew to see-and-avoid the other aircraft.
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
Air new zealand flt 6 (Boeing B-747, zk-nzx) was inbound to los anegles. It was cleared to descend to 7000 ft about 26 mi south of the seal beach VOR. Coast TRACON was tracking the 747 & another mode c target, but was not in radio contact with the 2nd (unknown) acft. ATC issued traffic advisories to the 747 as the 2nd acft closed on a head-on course. The 747 crew made an abrupt descending left turn to avoid the other acft, which was converving at the same altitude & passed with aprx 100 meters horizontal distance. The other acft was rprtd to be a small twin eng airplane. Two flt attendants & one psgr received minor injuries. The area & altitude were in uncontrolled airspace.
Aircraft
- Registration
- ZKNZX
- Reported as
- Boeing 747
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22724
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce RB211-524D4, 54,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 129
- Operator
- Air New Zealand
- Registered owner
- Koru Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- NTAA · Papeete,Tahiti, OF
- Destination
- LAX · Los Angeles, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- LAX · Los Angeles
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Foreign
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None