- Date
- March 13, 1990, 22:15 local (Mar 14, 1990, 05:15 UTC)
- Place
- Phoenix, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 41 uninjured; on the ground: 1 fatal
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N271AFBoeing 727-227
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900313064409A
- Case key
- 26753
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The unauthorized intrusion onto the runway environment by a pedestrian.
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
A Boeing 727-227 struck a pedestrian during the takeoff ground run on runway 26L. The captain indicated that the pedestrian was on the runway centerline during the takeoff ground run. The aircraft had accelerated to about 105 knots indicated airspeed when the pedestrian was identified. The captain immediately veered the aircraft to the right to avoid the collision and aborted the takeoff. The aircraft crew felt an impact. The aircraft then taxied to the ramp. Post flight examination of the aircraft revealed the pedestrian was struck by the left main landing gear system. According to the airport authority, the pedestrian, a 40 year old male, was a mental patient at a nearby hospital. The airport authority also indicated that the pedestrian was not authorized access to the runway. An investigation of the breach of airport security did not reveal how the pedestrian gained access to the runway environment.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N271AF
- Reported as
- Boeing 727-227
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22003
- Airframe hours
- 16,173
- Engine
- P&W JT8D-17, 16,000 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Alaska Airlines, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Ncnb Texas National Bank
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · March 11, 1990 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- PHX · Phoenix, AZ
- Destination
- TUS · Tucson, AZ
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- PHX · Phoenix Sky, runway 26L, 10,300 × 150 ft
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,720 total · 9,600 in this make and model · 5,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,100 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PHX
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.